when you come face to face with hope
by MrsSodapopCurtis99
Summary: Amanda has one person in this world, her best friend evie Montgomery. Unless you count her awful father who only cares about himself and getting drunk. She's a high school drop out that really seems to have no future from what life she lives, but what happens one night when she meets the one and only Sodapop Curtis?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 Amanda's POV

I'd never actually thought my life could change, in any positive manner that is. Too many negative things happened to me to even think a glimmer of hope was even a possibility. Every day in my closet I guess was considered a room looking at the wall feeling sorry for my low life status, pleading to God that my dad didn't come in. I was beat repeatedly each day bruises and scars never left my body clear, I'd dropped out of high school mainly for that reason, but there was also the fact that I'd never been good at school, not one subject, although I did pass gym and art. I just wasn't book smart and I really didn't see why I should go on anymore with something I was no good at, I had better things to do. Well not very many things that were very productive to society, but it was better than failing almost all my classes. I mean, I guess it was, well maybe it wasn't but I truly never saw myself being a smart gal with a degree or two under my belt. Maybe I wanted to work for a grocery store or a drug store but spending most of the time at home with a husband that didn't mind helping around the house or with the kids and he being good looking wouldn't be so bad either. Eh maybe it was asking a lot, but after the life I'd lived, I kind of thought I deserved a little warmth in life.

One especially rough night for me I dodged my drunk father who was trying and failing to keep me from sprinting out the front door.

"Where do you think you're going?" He sputtered

"Away from you!" I screamed back, bounding down the street. I couldn't take it anymore. I'd lived this way for much too long, and I was going over the edge and no one was there to pull me back. At least that's what I thought at the time.

I wasn't very good at lying to myself and making myself believe it, but I did all the time anyway. I told myself, the monster that lived in my house would be gone soon. The monster was my dad. I told myself he'd sober up someday and wouldn't hit me as much and maybe he'd start to be more like the other dads and try to help me in school, well that wasn't in the cards anymore but he could sign me up for sports and maybe even practice with me every once and a while. I knew it all would happen as soon as pigs flew, but I lied to myself saying it was possible anyway. Maybe he'd treat me like a princess like my best friend's dad treated her. Evie could do no wrong in her father's eyes. And I sure wished I had that. So I lied to myself, that my dad could change, y'all know that one feeling when you know it's a lie but you can't bring yourself to admit it because the truth is too scary to look at as reality? Well that was the feeling I had in the pit of my stomach at all times.

The wind blistered my face and stung my arm where my dad had stabbed me. It'd been ten o'clock when I'd left and I was real afraid of getting jumped, but being away from my dad was more important to me. I'd probably walk to the first convenient store I saw or whatever place looked like it would sell bandages. I might even crash in an alley for the night if the fights weren't so bad on the streets. Which I was in luck in that case at least because the roads were utterly silent. I trudged on folding my goose bump filled arms across my chest as if it gave me warmth, the temperature outside had to have been under 35 degrees and I didn't have a sweatshirt. Chills ran up and down my spine and all over my body. Tears ran down my cheeks silently as I thought about the tragedy I guess was considered my life. Seeing a gas station I'd never been in, a quickened my pace, the store looked decently sized and would most likely have what I needed and most places were closed by now so I decided to give the place a chance, it was really my only option. I peeked into the door and that's when I saw him. I looked him up and down, he was absolutely gorgeous, the kind of boy that people stop to look at to admire his natural handsomeness. Or the kind you see in those dreams where the boy of your dreams that could do so much better than you it's nuts is with you. I scrambled for something to say, but my mouth was dry. Butterflies burst in my stomach and I stood there motionless. The name Sodapop was sewn on his blue button up uniform shirt. That was sure a unique name. Not funny or weird, just unique, even an original name. Just like the rest of him. He had eyes like I'd never seen. They were brown with gold in them and they had a wild and reckless look to them, they almost seemed to even smile. His hair was a heavenly dark gold and was greased back and you could see the time he'd probably put into doing the stunning mane of hair. That was the word! Stunning. He was as stunning as a breath taking sun set. He smiled at me his teeth gleaming a natural gleam. And I tried to smile back, but I knew my smile would never compare to his. He put his elbows on the counter he was behind and ran his right hand through his hair.

"Hi there." He smiled again, I knew he probably smiled that way to everyone, but I couldn't help but get tingly. I didn't say anything for a minute and then sighed inwardly, gaining the courage to talk to a guy like him.

"Hi, um I… well." I started to walk at a tremendously slow pace out of the doorway, when the door slammed into me unexpectedly and I landed face first on the floor. It didn't hurt all that bad, I kind of just lay there for a moment, I could feel the embarrassment flooding my face. How could I be this clumsy in front of the cutest guy I'd ever seen? Oh boy, I was real embarrassed, I needed to get the bandages and get out of here. Better yet, forget the bandages and dodge for the door. Yep, that sounded best. I lifted my head and lunged upward, hitting my head on something hard.

"Ow!" I screeched. I looked up to see Sodapop kneeling and rubbing his chin.

"Glory, I'm real sorry 'bout that." He said genuinely. I was the one who should've been sorry but he didn't give me a chance to dull my apology out.

"Let me help ya up." He was already up and offering me a masculine yet delicate hand to assist me. How could he manage to be so many things at once? Well, however he did it, it sure as hell worked for him, he was a dream guy, even if he worked at a gas station. I shook my head to rid my daze and took the hand. And he gently, yet firmly pulled me up. Gosh darn he seemed perfect.

"So what can we do ya for?" he asked when I was up and kind of backing away real slow like.

"Maybe some bandages if you don't mind." I said trying to be as nice as I could, flashing the flirtiest smile I could think of, but then lost it noticing the blood streaming off my arm all over the floor of the store. I was a little embarrassed even. I looked up at him and his eyes no longer had that reckless look about them, they weren't bursting with feeling no more either. They didn't look like they had any feeling really, they were blank, like any regular Joe's, I didn't like that one bit.

"Holy shit." He whispered lightly under his breath. That's when I noticed he was staring at my arm. Was I the reason he didn't have an expression in his eyes? Nah, I couldn't be, me and him didn't even belong in the same sentence. I didn't deserve to walk on the same ground he did, let alone carry on a conversation with him. His smile wasn't there anymore either. His face was just, well blank.

"Well I guess I better go then." I stuttered a bit walking backwards towards the front door to the store. He looked confused for a minute, but then probably figured out I was going to make a run for it. He then started to walk towards me and I crashed into the door just as clumsily as before, but this time I didn't care. I didn't even know why, but I had to get out of there. Maybe it was because for once in my life, there was a chance someone cared what happened to me, I didn't know for sure, but it scared me. Probably because my dad never gave a rat's ass about what happened to me, and my mom had left us when I was two, so she obviously didn't give a shit either. So maybe I was scared that someone actually cared, to be perfectly honest, how could you blame me? My circumstances didn't leave much room for care.

"Hey wait up!" his soothing voice oozed, seemingly only steps behind me. I tried to speed up, knowing that it wouldn't do me any good. But again, I lied to myself. I gulped and made a sharp turn into the first alley I saw. I collapsed into it, and scraped my knee. Even in darkness, I could see the blood staining my jeans. My favorite pair. Damn. I knew there was a huge chance that he was standing right behind me, but I truly couldn't help it anymore. I curled up holding my knees and cried harder than I'd ever cried before, harder than when my dad had broken my leg with a wooden baseball bat, harder than when he'd stabbed me earlier that night, even harder than when he'd hung me by my arms from a swing set with a rope. And I didn't even really know why I was crying so hard. It wasn't nothing it was everything. I squeezed my eyes shut as tightly as possible. And tears streamed down my face. I kept trying to get a breathing pattern out, but it only made me hyperventilate. I felt a hand on my shoulder. I flinched. There was huge chance it was the gas station boy, but there was also a huge chance it was a giant hood, looking to jump someone, and my vulnerable state seemed like the perfect target.

"Who-Who are you?" I managed to sputter out. The hand removed itself and I could hear footsteps coming to face the front of me. I put my head between my knees, so I didn't have to look at the person.

"Don't be scared." A voice like honey murmured reassuringly. I knew who it was just by his voice, but I denied myself. He didn't care enough to leave the store unattended and follow me. I was just some random girl, who he had nothing to do with. I shivered and a jacket was wrapped around me. I had to admit it was nice to be warm. I still didn't look up.

"Please let me help you." The voice came again. I was still very reluctant at this point, so I just ran my hands up and down my legs.

"You don't even know me." I tried excuse fully. Why couldn't I just see what this guy might be offering? So many questions ran through my mind I thought I might have a nervous breakdown. But I kept it cool.

"I don't have to, just let me see what I can do to help, man." My throat got knotted up and I finally had the sense of courage to look up. Sure enough, there he stood kneeling over me like he had in the store, only this time I didn't practically break his chin. When he saw me look up, he offered me a hand. But I just buried my head in my knees again and let the tears come right back. Then something I really hadn't seen coming happened. He brought me onto his lap and started to rock me back and forth. That probably should have been a little awkward, but it wasn't it just, it wasn't.

"Shhhh, you'll be alright, just let me help you out and tell me what's going on and everything will be fine." He cooed. "Please just come with me. I don't want to hurt you."

I didn't really know what to say to that. Here I was, in complete stranger's arms and they were asking me to let them help me. I was really putting my life on the line at this point, but, then again, I did it every day with my dad.

"You got a place to stay tonight?" he asked, I could tell that he already knew the answer, but I lied anyway.

"Yes." I said sheepishly.

"Let me rephrase that, do you have a safe place to stay tonight?" he pressed, knowing my answer would change. I just shook my head.

"Come on, I promise I won't hurt you, come with me, please, I know you don't know me but I can't leave you out here like this."

"Don't feel sorry for me." I uttered blandly. He put me off of his lap and stuck his hand out, yet again.

"I don't want to move." I said stubbornly. I was in true pain, and at that moment I probably couldn't move even if I tried. He laughed under his breath and then smirked at me.

"Then you brought what I'm about to do on yourself." What was that supposed to mean? I shuttered a bit. And then tried to think of all what that could mean. Then he swooped me up abruptly and began to walk. My mouth was open in shock. But I couldn't be mad or stay mad at him, like I could a normal person. He made it impossible. Probably how he gets out of punishment. I'd thought to myself. He looked over at my surprised face and gave me a killer smile. It made me go even weaker in the knees than I already had been. Which was a pretty hard thing to do. He made me smile. I took a good hard look at the situation I was in and wondered how I could be smiling. Then I looked at him, and there the reason was, right there. A guy I barely knew.

"Don't worry, Bella will help you out." He reassured me. I had no idea who Bella was but maybe she could help me. He opened a car's door and set me in shot gun. Then went in on the other side and got into the driver's seat. We drove on without any other words. I started to get kind of scared. He'd smile at me every once and a while. But I was getting really freaked out. After all, I didn't know this guy and I was in his car going who knows where. I started to try to think of a way to run out. Now that I thought about it, I was really freaking out. We pulled up to a bit of a rundown house with lights on and some shadows walking around inside. Sodapop looked at me again and nodded for me to get out of the car. I opened the car door and stepped out, or at least tried. I put pressure on my right leg and felt excruciating pain run up my leg from when I'd fell in the alley. I started to wobble a bit and would have fell back but sodapop was right behind me and caught me like a trust fall. I could tell that it would have hurt if I did fall so I guess I was grateful.

"Wow there, be more careful, darlin'." He sighed holding me by my fore arms, that's how he'd saved me from the fall. Something came over me at that moment. I started to try and run and escape his grip, but he just firmed it. That's when I started to scream. Stuff like 'let me go' stop it!' 'What's wrong with you?!' he looked at me confused, and loosened his grip to where I could almost get away.

"What the hell soda?!" A tall, broad shouldered man, maybe in his early twenties boomed from the yard of the house we'd stopped in front of. Three other smaller, younger boys, but still teenagers stood behind him. They all had confused looks on their faces but the oldest one looked madder than anything else. Sodapop let me go lightly and I collapsed onto the concrete side walk. I felt like a wimp, I always seemed to be crying. I mean, I knew my life was tough, but geez. All those boys that had been standing by the house came walking toward me. I started to awkwardly crawl away backwards. I could feel the fear building up in my eyes. And I willed myself not to cry.

"I'm sure Soda has a good explanation for this, don't you buddy?" One of the boys snickered, though I didn't see which one and I heard someone slapped him on the back. I looked up to see Sodapop reddening helplessly, and rubbing the back of his neck. He looked down at me and I looked away.

"He'd have better." The older broad shouldered one said, firmly clenching his teeth and aiming his nasty look right at Sodapop.

"What's going on, the baby's trying to sleep." A girl's voice groaned, annoyed. I looked toward the front door where the voice had come from. A fair skinned blonde, maybe 5`1 and a half stood in the doorway with a tan baby on her hip. She pranced out the door and seemed like she was walking right towards me.

"Boys, you don't even know this girl, why are you hovering over her?" she snapped shooing them away from me. She kneeled down and eyed me for a moment and then hoisted the baby that I believed to be hers, though they looked nothing alike up her hip. She extended a fragile hand in front of my face. By her manner, I knew she was a feisty little thing, but there was a sympathetic look behind skeptical eyes.

"Come with me sweet heart I'll get you away from these boys. She gave them all a death stare. I grabbed the hand, I probably trusted her more because she was a girl. I limped using her free shoulder for support, though the pain was still drilling right through my leg, I ignored it. I looked back at Sodapop, he had a guilty look in his beautiful eyes. That made me feel guilty too. Knowing I was the cause of the guilt. We walked into the old house that smelled of chocolate cake and beer. The girl told me to sit down on the couch. I was nervous but not scared like before. Something about her presence was comforting, her smile made you feel like you'd known her your whole life and the way she looked at you, like she was compelled to listen, made you want to spill your guts, even if she didn't ask. She'd handed me the baby, which she confirmed was hers but didn't mention who the dad was. His name was Dallas and he was a real cutie pie, he had black hair with bangs that could use a trim and big round black eyes. He was a tan little thing too, he definitely didn't look like his mom.

"Please let me talk to her." I heard Soda's voice plead from the door. The girl crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head.

"You all stay out here for a minute, I 'ma talk to her. And also, I'll get back to you Sodapop Patrick Curtis." She hissed.

"But I…." Soda seemed to begin. After being told to shut up, the door slammed. And the girl sat next to me and smiled as if I was an old friend.

"Now we are a very friendly set of people, here in this house, I'm Bella, I'm the only girl that lives here, I'm the one you can trust for now, but you can depend on the boys later. I won't say a word to any of those boys. They're real good people if you get to know them." So that was the girl he'd been talking about! She placed a hand on my leg that wasn't in pain.

"What's your name hon?" she continued

"Amanda Furtado." I said, my voice cracking. She smiled at me and then at the baby. She sure was pretty. I thought she could be a model if she wasn't so short. She had dark, understanding, green eyes, and almost dirty blonde but not quite hair down to her rib.

"I love that name, Amanda is one of my favorites." She smiled. And I don't remember how but she got every last word of my life tonight and on a regular basis. She looked at me sympathetically and told me everything would be ok. I wished I could believe her.

"Well how's the girl's love fest going?" A dark haired boy who had his hair greased back complicatedly scoffed. Bella arched an eyebrow.

"I thought I told you guys to stay outside." She said rolling her eyes.

"Well if you didn't know it ain't sunny out there." One boy about eighteen or nineteen with rust colored side burns chimed in with a snicker. I noticed Sodapop staring at me sadly and when he saw me staring back, gestured for me to follow him, probably to talk to me about tonight, I mean what else could it mean? I scooted as far as I could away from him who sat on the couch without falling off. His shoulders slumped and I looked at my hands that laid my lap. This was one of the weirdest nights of my life.

"Well if you boys wore something other than muscle shirts, you wouldn't be so fucking cold." Bella snapped.

Out of nowhere, a face appeared under mine. It smiled a devilish smile.

"Hi there."

I jumped and let out a small yelp. That'd scared the shit out of me. I realized it had been the one with the side burns. The baby started to cry from my jolting him. I started to bounce him on my leg and he clapped happily.

"You're good with baby's ain't you girl?" Sideburns smiled slyly. I looked back down and the baby, Dallas buried his head in my chest.

"You wanna know what I'm good at?" I heard Bella snap. No one said anything but a taste of fear filled the room. I heard a huge smack, good aim, landed right on his cheekbone, pretty sad I knew that just from the sound.

"Damn it Bella, you really are good at that." I heard side burn's gruff voice whimper, I knew she'd slapped Sideburns. I winced. That really must of hurt, I'd definitely had worse, but that still must've have hurt, there was no denying that.

"Alright, why'd you hit Two-Bit?" The guy with complicated hair sighed with frustration.

"He's scaring the girl more than she already is and frankly, my kid almost fell of her lap, so excuse me for caring not that you boys do any of that!" Bella retorted. Wow Bella seemed protective of me and she didn't even really know me. All the boys looked down at the ground, ashamed. She sighed and told them she didn't mean it, and they were better right away.

She was the mom of the group, and they sure needed one.

"Well I think it'd be best if we all hit the hay and y'all went home, ya hear?" The broad shouldered man hadn't talked since outside and had a stern look on his face, he always seemed to. He seemed kind of maybe hardened from things that happened in his life. Oh well, that wasn't my business. They all obeyed and I kind of wondered if I should go too. But Bella gave me a reassuring look that told me to stay put.

"If y'all want cinnamon rolls in the morning I'll have them on the table by seven." Bella informed.

"We'll definitely be here." Slurred Side Burns , who stood at the doorway. And name was apparently Two-Bit, what kind of name was that anyway? Whatever. They walked out the door for the night.

"Well darlin' you really shouldn't be anywhere else tonight, you're safe here I can assure you, no matter what bone headed move Soda tried to pull." Bella glared at Sodapop for a moment, but then turned back to me. I didn't say anything and a guilty bomb burst inside the pit of my stomach. I was so confused on what to do it was crazy. But I chose to take the risk and just bum here for the night, it wasn't any worse than my other options.

"I'll sleep on the chair if that makes it better." She pressed. Why did these people care what happened to me? There was no time to ask those type of questions. I just nodded.

"Great! I'll get you a blanket and pillows, do you want one or two?" She babbled, clasping her hands together.

"Uhhh…" I stuttered. Not knowing how to respond.

"I'll bring you two and you can choose then how's that?" I nodded and smiled a thank you. A boy maybe fourteen glared at me and then left the room. What did I ever do to him? I'd thought. Then the broad shouldered man nodded a goodnight to me and messed with Sodapop's hair and walked out of the room. I looked away from Soda, the only person left in the room and hugged my knees. That was a bit awkward.

"Hey, I'm…" he'd started to walk towards me, but Bella walked in and he'd backed up and shut his trap real good. They all seemed intimidated by this petite blonde. And I understood why, she may have been small, but by the way she slapped Two-Bit she didn't take no shit. She told Sodapop to go to bed and leave me alone and he listened to her and left with his head hanging down low. I bit my lip guiltily.

"Alright sweetie here's a blanket, coziest one in the house. And two pillows, you have a good night hon." She ran her hand across my face, turned off the light and walked into another room. I lay on the couch thinking about tonight until I couldn't bare it anymore, the thing that I couldn't get out of my head was his flawless face, his smile may have been lot of things at once. And I couldn't get him out of my head the rest of the night. Which is probably why I dreamed about him the whole night. Why did I dream about him being my prince charming what the fuck was wrong with me?

I woke up the next morning at about six thirty. No one seemed to be awake and I decided to leave before anyone else woke up. I was careful not to be too loud, I had practice from the times I'd escaped the house under my dad's nose all those times. But this might be different considering the fact that none of them were passed out from a hangover. I folded the blanket neatly and set it on the back of the couch, I then stacked the pillows and set them on the right cushion. I peeked down the hallway to see if anyone was there and no one was. I gulped and then walked towards the door. I looked down the hall way one more time which was straight in front if the door. My eyes bulged out of my head when I saw HIM rubbing his dazzling eyes. I ran forward and lunged out the door not looking back. I know I seemed really wishy-washy but I was so confused in life, adding a boy into the mix was the last thing I needed.

the best part about him, it was as reckless as his eyes. How could I be flaunting over someone that scared the shit out of me? I didn't know was lying to myself because I knew it definitely wasn't going to work this time.

**So, I hope you enjoyed it. I enjoyed writing it and im really glad I finally got the guts to post it. for those who hated it, PLEASE don't put a ton of hate. well, anyways, I know Amanda comes across wishy washy, but how was she supposed to feel about soda? I mean come on. shes so confused in life I feel bad for my own character. oh and who are bella and dallas? find out next chapter!**

**XOXO**

**Jess**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 (Soda's POV)

"What did you expect?" My good friend, almost like a brother, Keith Matthews, but we call him Two-Bit scoffed. Why couldn't I stop thinking of her? I mean I was a good person, at least I thought myself to be one, but I'd never thought about a girl like that unless I was serious about them. And I'd only had two serious relationships and they'd both ended real bad. Cheaters, they both stomped on my soul like a door mat. I didn't understand why, but whenever I cared about a girl, I wanted to marry her, I needed to stop that. Rejection is an especially hard thing for me to deal with. Maybe I was meant to be alone. I thought I treated my girls well, but they always slept around. My first serious relationship was with a blonde named Sandy, and she got pregnant by another guy and went to live with her grandmother in Florida and left me a lousy letter, not even bother to say I'm sorry she just told me I'd never see her again and she'd be in Florida. And the other one, Samantha I'd caught her at Buck's, a party house, in one of the bedrooms with another guy. I'd been saving up to buy her a ring that year. My best buddy, Steve always asked me why I was so depressed, but he didn't get it one bit, him and his girlfriend Evie had been together since Freshman year of high school and they were both as loyal as can be and crazy for each other. Though they only admitted it when they had to. When Steve got hauled into the police station, she was over at our house as soon as she'd heard sobbing none stop trying to think of ways to bail him out, and when Evie had gone to her Aunt Addie's for the summer, by the end of the first week Steve couldn't stand being without her any longer and dragged me half way across the state to go get her. The smiles on their faces were priceless, that you couldn't get from anyone else but your true love, I'd never gotten that smile. I began to think about her again. That smile and that hair… She had a real pretty skin color too. Her smile was light and airy and youthful. But I could only catch a glimpse of it in my head, the next second I was seeing her terrified eyes and the way she'd struggled to get away from me. And crawled away hurriedly. Even after Bella had straightened things out, she still wouldn't look me in the eye for very long. And she'd left early that morning, so I didn't get to see her today and I was kind of sad for that, I wanted to get to know he better. But it was too late now, she was long gone and I'd scared her off. She wasn't coming back. I was bummed. I felt terrible, I mean, I couldn't expect more than what she gave out in this type of situation. And I couldn't help but think, that maybe if we'd met in another way, I might have asked her to the Dingo. I had to find out more, I couldn't just leave it like this. Where I knew nothing about her really and she thought I was creepy and I'd scared the living hell out of her. I had to show her who I really was, because that sure wasn't me. There was more to the story. It didn't just end there, there was more to us, more to this situation. You know what I mean? All morning until my eight o'clock shift at the gas station I worked for called the DX, man that was gonna remind me of her too. Since that was where we had met. Damn for someone who was in my life for less than a night she seemed to be everywhere. I couldn't smile today. It just wasn't coming, which I knew wasn't normal because I just smiled all the time, even when no one saw the reason to smile, I just smiled at life. Life was a gift and I didn't intend on wasting it, after all heartbreak and loss had kept me back long enough, I couldn't afford to let anything hold me back. But this Amanda girl had brought me to a screeching halt.

"Yeah for once, you're right Two- Bit, for ONCE. I mean its logic really Sod. I mean, for Pete's sake Soda you scared her so bad, you could just tell. And you wonder why she left, she probably didn't even want to stay the night, she just probably wanted to be polite. No wonder she ran out like a mad woman! She probably had a better place to be. Well at least she folded the blanket. Even with her getting hit at home and all." My younger brother Ponyboy tried to reason and I knew he was right.

"Trust me, she didn't." Bella walked in and sat another batch of cinnamon rolls on the butchered coffee table. Everyone dug in immediately, no one could resist Bella's cooking.

"Oh and wait just one second boys, I know for sure she didn't tell you she was beat around at home, and I'm pretty sure I'm only one who knew that, so that leaves you boys with some explaining to do." Bella snapped. Damn it Pony, she'd caught onto us now.

"It's not that hard to put two and two together." My best buddy Steve said, through a huge bite of cinnamon roll, half-heartedly trying to make an excuse, but we all knew Bella wouldn't buy it.

"I'm not buying what you're selling Stevie, anyone else care to tell me THE TRUTH?!" She quipped, eying my older brother Darrel, but Darry for short, knowing his integrity would be the first to show through. Darry sighed leaning back in the chair and setting the newspaper in his lap.

"We listened to you guys through the window." Darry said turning red with disappointment in himself. But I was awful sorry we'd done it, it really was none of our business. I looked to Bella, who of course was fuming.

"What in God's name is wrong with you boys?" She screamed. I knew she was gonna hit something. She looked from left to right and unfortunately for Two- Bit, he stood to her right. She hauled off and smacked him across the back of the head, real hard and the whole gang winced.

"Jesus Bella!" He whined.

"Eh, you were closest."

She went on a rant about how spying is wrong and to our astonishment told us as punishment, she wouldn't be cooking dinner tonight. We were pretty bummed about that, and in all honesty, it was the worst punishment she could have given us. Everyone went out into the yard to hang out by the cars, but I stayed slumped on the couch, still thinking about her. Steve still stood there though. Bella walked back into the room and knelt down and looked up at me.

"Hey when I yelled at you this mornin' I didn't mean nothing, that girl just has a lot to deal with and I felt real sorry for her, and it seemed like you made it worse, but I know you were just trying to help" Bella said, explaining her outburst at me this morning about last night. She gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek. She was a good person, and I loved her like a sister. She had been a member of our gang, Johnny's girlfriend, before him and my brother Ponyboy ran away after Johnny'd killed a Soc, Bella had gotten pregnant, and after trying to save little kids in a fire, Johnny had ended up in the hospital, serious burns and a broken back. And they'd gotten married to her there, priest and all, he'd died the next day. She was his angel, he never called her a Soc, like she'd be considered by the rest of the town, she was his pride and joy and their son, Dallas, named after another member of our gang, who died the same night as Johnny, would have been too. The baby looked exactly like Johnny which pained the gang at first, but then it turned into a good thing. Everyone loved Dallas, and Bella like family. Which is why she turned the us when her family that, even though they were rich and had fancy parties, treated her like scum, sent her over the edge and moved out and moved in with us for good, three week old Dallas and all. Speaking of Dallas, he'd been real bad all morning, crying and screaming and flailing his arms no matter who we passed him to. We were all pretty worried about him, so we decided if the continuous crying didn't stop by the evening, we'd schedule a doctor's appointment. But I thought I knew what was wrong, he'd been real happy with Amanda, so maybe he was crying for her. Anyways, I accepted her apology and told her I was fine. Though I wasn't of course.

"You'd better be fine, you have a blind date that we set you up on tonight." Steve smiled at me encouragingly. I felt a little uneasy about it after all last night.

"Stevie bud, I don't know man." He shot a glare at me.

"You are going to the Dingo tonight on that date and that is final." He stated. I just nodded.

"Now go get dressed for work, we'll be late if you don't hurry your ass up." Steve rushed. Oh yeah, work. This should be a really fun day. Thinking of her. Amanda.

All day at work, as expected I thought about _her_. It was a pretty long day with Steve coming out of the auto shop and into the mini mart where I did my work and talking to me about this date. I was pretty prepared to go out last week when Steve had got Evie to set me up with some girl that she promised wasn't scum like my other relationships. I couldn't help but stick up for them, after all, I'd loved them, and even if they were shitty girlfriends, that didn't change how I'd felt about them. Evie would roll her eyes and tell me they didn't matter, but they did. They were an important part of my life I guess. Oh well, it's confusing.

"Just give me one chance to set you up, she's a real nice girl, trust me you'll lift her spirits. And she'll lift yours. One chance that's all I ask Sodapop, I've never asked you for much and now that I am it's to help you." She'd begged the week before. And after that guilt trip, I reluctantly agreed to go on whatever she was planning. She'd told me I wouldn't be sorry and after giving Steve a good bye kiss and skipped out the door of the DX. Steve had snickered and punched me on the shoulder and teased me about finally coming around after about four months. And we got into an arm wrestling contest on the checkout counter that I knew I would lose, but I always thought I could anyway. Then he walked back out to work on some Soc's corvette, leaving me to be a nervous wreck the rest of the week about the date, only thinking of that, nothing else, up until last night that is.

"You are off the clock Soda now stop pretending to be busy, your date's in an hour and knowing you, forty five minutes of that time is gonna be spent on your hair, so get in the damn car." Steve scoffed, but I knew he was just worried I was gonna back out of the date. And I was sure thinking about it. But I couldn't disappoint the gang, they'd all been real giddy when I said I'd be on a date. Pony was a little reluctant for me though, he told me he didn't want to see me hurt again, so maybe that's why I was so nervous. So I decided to suck it up and just go on the date, who said the relationship had to go anywhere anyway?

"Whatever." I sighed, grabbing the closed sign and walking out the door to lock up, I'd had to work extra-long that day, but my boss said I could close shop early if I made the store a good amount of money, which if I do say so myself I did. A good two hundred dollars would make the boss real happy, maybe even giving me a raise happy.

We got into Steve's souped up, old car, that was making so weird noise, but Steve said it wasn't a problem, and I believed him. He was a car genius. He was real proud of his car skills and he wasn't too bad at stealing parts to them either, he was super proud of that too. I loved my best buddy, even if he could be a little bit of a hood sometimes.

"Alright, bud I know this is gonna be tough but you need this, and I'm doing this for your own good, you have to believe me, you just gotta." Steve said, with the very, very rare hint of pleading in his voice. He put a hand on my shoulder and sighed.

"Yeah I know." I groaned, noticing we were in front of my house, I opened the car door. I jogged half assed to my front door and burst through the screen door into the commotion.

"No lolly gaggin' or talking you go straight to the bathroom and get ready." Steve ordered semi playfully. I just nodded and walked out of the room. Dallas was still crying, that was worrying me bad now. I didn't bother to say hi to anyone, but I nodded in acknowledgement to Pony, who was of course reading, something I'd never do. Why do you think I dropped out of school? Because I'm dumb. I'm street smart, I'll give myself that, but I ain't book smart that was a fact.

I looked in the bathroom mirror after doing my hair extra well which meant extra grease.

"So who is this girl, Steve?" I asked curiously. I'd been wondering that all week, but Steve had shut his mouth as good as ever. I could bet Evie had persuaded him using something I definitely couldn't and that Steve would agree to in a heartbeat.

"You don't know what a blind date is do you buddy boy, plus there's the fact that I don't know shit about the girl?" Steve laughed, leaning up against the frame of the bathroom door. I ran my hand through my newly oiled hair one last time before walking out of the bathroom to get my nicest pair of jeans. Why I was dressing up for this, I didn't know, but I had the urge to.

"So, you excited?" Steve asked. What was I gonna say? Nervous as hell? No I was too proud to say that.

"I guess, but I can't stop thinking about her, you know that Amanda girl?" I surprisingly admitted. Steve shook his head defiantly.  
"She's fine buddy, don't you worry Soda. Now we better get going, you don't want to keep your lady waiting." Steve grinned. I said bye to everyone and they all teased me and wished me luck. We stepped into the car and Pony and Two- Bit gave us a push start and we started our ride to my mysterious date. Steve told me him and Evie would meet us there with her friend (my date). Evie had told Steve that they'd be going somewhere else that night on their date. He talked about how if the date went well, we could go on double dates. Talk about rushing and making me more nervous than I already am. And if I thought that made me nervous, I didn't have to wait long for him to make me more nervous than ever by droning on and on about how many ways the date could go wrong.

We pulled in five minutes early and knowing Evie she'd want to be fashionably late, so they'd be here in ten minutes at the least. Steve and I saved a table for two and he got Evie and him a coke. I waited nervously, drumming my fingers on the table. Steve got annoyed after a while and we got into another one of our famous arm wrestling contests. I was doing really good today and I had a chance of winning when I saw Evie's petite body peek through the door. She scanned the crowd, obviously looking for Steve. She saw me and gave me a perky smile, but when she saw Steve, she bit her lip seductively and twirled a strand of her wavy, bleach blonde hair. Steve yelped excitedly and rubbed his hands together greedily.

"I 'ma get lucky tonight!" he cackled. I shook my head. He should be ashamed of himself. I mean, I knew him, well did things with her by the way he talked about her at the bulls, but did he really need to act that way in public?

"Really Steve?" I said disappointed. He put his hands up in surrender.

"Hey did you see that face? Plus her parents are out of town and she's an only child, which means she's at her house for the weekend, all alone…" he trailed off and got a scheming smile on his face. I punched him hard on the arm and he just shrugged and took a drink of his coke. I looked back at the door to see Evie putting her hands on her hips in annoyance. It was too loud to hear what she was saying to a person outside, I couldn't see, but I knew it was my date. I could see what she was mouthing though. 'You look beautiful, now hurry we're already late' I'd seen Evie mouth. 'Oh stop it! You are not ugly! He's nice and he's gonna love you!' Evie didn't say anything else and went out and dragged in a brunette, but she had her head down so I couldn't see her face. She wore a silky red tank top and a short, lacey, black skirt, and her hair was in a side braid. She spun around to face the door with her arms crossed over her chest. Evie rolled her eyes and firmly spun her around. And what we saw made Steve spit his gulp of coke across the Dingo at a group of Socs, but we didn't have time to pay attention to them. My mouth was dry, I was speechless. She wasn't even looking at me, so she didn't see who I was but I sure saw her. Amanda. She looked up and when she laid her eyes on me, they widened to the size of saucers and fear filled them. She broke out of Evie's grasp and limped for the door as fast as she could. I started to get out of my seat to go after her, but Steve grabbed my elbow, I looked back at him to see him shaking his head, telling him to stay there. I looked back over to see Evie giving her a pep talk. I felt guilty. Evie helped her limp across the room and she landed right in front of me, about three feet away. She stayed there, but looked away from me. I felt myself getting red. And Evie walked by her side.

"Stevie get up." She instructed and Steve didn't even have to be asked twice. He got up and gave Evie her coke, she smiled a thank you and he wrapped his free arm around her. Steve never listened to no body, until he met Evie, she could tell him to go jump off a cliff and he'd do it if she really wanted him to. He still didn't listen to anybody else, but he'd do anything for her. She cleared her throat and nodded for Amanda to sit across from me. Her eyes pleaded.

"But…" Amanda started. Evie's eyes narrowed.

"Now." She said, leaving no room for argument. Amanda limped solemnly to the chair. Wincing as she did, oh yeah did I mention she'd really banged herself up the night before, after running away from me and tripping in an alley? She sighed and looked longingly at the door. I felt horrible and was about to tell Evie she should just go, but Evie started to talk first.

"She's spending the night at my house, have her home by ten." She said mimicking a parent's voice. We all let out an awkward laugh, except for Amanda who looked at her lap like she had the night before.

"And as for you sir, you are coming with me." Evie said, still mimicking a parent but there was a smile on her face. She lead Steve out the door and he looked back at me with an, _I told you so_ look on his face. I rolled my eyes and looked back at Amanda, who looked at the table with a pained expression on her face. I looked up at a typical Grease/Soc fight happening in line. All of a sudden, her buttery voice began to speak.

"Look, I'm sorry if I over reacted last night, I was having a rough night." She managed to whimper out. She set her hands on the table and laced them together. I touched her right hand lightly. She flinched but didn't move her hand. She blushed a bit, or at least I thought she had.

"Don't be." I smiled. My first smile of the day. Her eyes gently gleamed with curiosity.

"I'm sorry for what happened last night, you gotta believe me, all I wanted to do was help you, that's it, I swear." I continued. She nodded. She looked at me.

"I do." She assured. I moved my hand.

"Let's go get a coke?" I asked more than stating. She nodded and I helped her out of her seat, she let me and didn't even flinch. I wrapped her arm around my shoulder to help her limp to the line, but it seemed to be getting better.

"Still hurt?" I asked, trying to make conversation. She shrugged.

"A little, but I've had worse." She answered, taking her hand off me and leaning against the checkout counter. That made me think of the gash in her left arm. And that I knew how it happened, but I shouldn't know. I didn't want to lie to her, so I decided to somehow tell her I knew.

"Like what your dad did to your arm last night." I said, rubbing the back of my neck nervously. Her nose scrunched in confusion, it was cute. It unscrunched in realization and she shook her head in disbelief.

"Bella.." she said under her breath, disappointed. I couldn't let Bella take the fall for our mistake. If I did let Amanda think Bella sold her out, Bella wouldn't be mad, just disappointed. And I'd never want her to be disappointed at me. And neither would the rest of the gang.

"She didn't say anything." I said stepping towards Amanda.

"Then who did?" she stuttered, cowering as I got closer to her. I was quite a bit taller than her, but I didn't see myself as a scary person. She must have been hit more than I'd realized, I'd thought. She was scared of men. I stepped backward.

"Never let a man over power you Amanda." I said lightly, trying not to boss her around, trying not to overpower her. She nodded, but stayed cowering. I sighed. She didn't understand, she was probably bossed around at home by her dad, who'd given her that injury. I winced. I couldn't stand the idea of someone hurting her, it pained me, and I didn't even know why, didn't even really know her. But she was different I cared what happened to her. And that made me wonder what was gonna happen to her tonight, then I remembered she'd be at Evie's, and that relieved me so much that I smiled.

"Than how do you know?" She asked me curiously, looking kind of embarrassed. Why should she be embarrassed?

"Well, we over heard through the window." I said sheepishly. Boy, oh boy what was she gonna say?

"Oh, ok then." She said blandly. No personality in her voice. I sighed.

"I'm real sorry, I know it was none of my business." I babbled. She shook her head dismissively.

"Don't worry about it. I don't mind that you know I guess, I just would rather your friends not have known, but its fine." She didn't care that I knew? That really made me feel special. She smiled at me for the first time since she had at the gas station last night. And I wanted to do a flip off a car or something, like my buddy Steve always did. I smiled back and possibly too soon grabbed her hand, she intertwined he fingers with mine and saw her to be very red. But a hint of a smile never left her face. Was I making her smile? I grinned at the possibility. I squeezed her hand to make it less awkward for her and she smiled the brightest smile I'd ever seen her smile. We ordered a coke and a lemonade, she didn't like soda, which I found really ironic. I helped her back into her seat and she smiled at me again. I loved that smile. I'd never heard her laugh and I was determined to get it out of her. Considering it had to be cute like the rest of her. She took a sip of her lemonade and then cleared her throat and looked up at me.

"So is Dallas your baby?" she asked casually, as if it was no big deal.

"Um, no." I exclaimed. This was sure to be a fun conversation. I didn't even look like Dallas at all, what would make her think he was mine in the first place?

"You know um well, we had another guy who used to be in our gang and well, he and Bella ended up having a baby and well, Johnny, he died while him and my brother tried to save some kids from a fire in Windrexville." I tried to explain, my throat choking up just thinking about the way Johnny had to leave the world, and that made me think of Dallas. I couldn't think of them right now, it depressed me. And I needed to get to know Amanda better, she seemed to make me happy, I couldn't act like that in front of her.

"Oh, that one kid Johnny that was in the newspaper? Yeah he's a real hero for saving those little kids, they'd be dead if it weren't for him. So that's the baby's daddy?" She said asked, admiration in her voice.

"Yeah, that was him. They got married while she was in the hospital you know, when they found out he was dying, he never did get to meet Dallas." I sighed, life just wasn't fair sometimes.

"That's so romantic." Amanda whispered, and I thought so too. She asked how the baby was doing and I told her about his nonstop crying and worry over whelmed her face. She was a good person, beyond good, she cared about everything she laid eyes upon. I told her stories about what happened with the gang and at the DX all the time and I finally got that laugh out of her. It was a fun and care free laugh, like nothing else mattered except what happening right then. But, I knew her laugh matched anything but her situation at home. I asked if she wanted to leave, realizing it was ten thirty and she agreed. I offered to help her into the car, but she said she had it under control, she seemed to still be in pain, but she could semi-walk. I still wanted to help her or was that for my own personal reasons? Maybe both? Yeah, I'd settle for both. I at least opened the door for her and she smiled her superior smile, I got in on the other side and we started to drive to the gas station, not the DX, it was obviously closed. I went to rest my hand on hers, which rested on the arm rest in between us, but I accidentally touched her gash, she cringed a bit, looking up at me, but didn't move her hand. I gulped, realizing the person who did that to her, the person who stabbed her, she lived with them, stuff like that happened to her on a regular basis. I didn't know what, but I had to do something to help her. We pulled into the gas station and I got out with her waiting in the car. I started to pump the gas

"What do you say we forget yesterday ever happened? Start over?" I said concentrating on the gas pump.

"I'd like that." She said sweetly, making me smile. Was this gonna go anywhere? I wanted it to, even with it coming with Evie's I told you so. I was so happy my arms were shaking.

"Soda…." I heard her say alarm in her tone of voice. I looked up to see a rickety, old, orangish truck pulling into the station. I looked at her and her eyes were even more filled with fear than the night before. In fact there was a whole lot of feeling in her eyes, but all of them said get me out of here. I stopped the tank and went to get in and make a run for it.

"Amanda, get out of that car or I swear this will be the last night you see." A man with a five o'clock shadow screamed, jumping out of the orange truck. Amanda immediately started to limp over to the man.

"Can't you walk any faster than that you little bitch?!" the man bellowed. I wanted to punch him so hard, it knocked him into next week, but I restrained myself, I couldn't violent in front of her. But I did have to do something about this. "Dad, I'm going as fast as I can I hurt myself yesterday." She uttered, going faster then she probably should have on her hurt leg.

"You think I give a fuck? This isn't news to me, I know you're a clumsy sack of shit!" the man scoffed. Wow, her dad? This made more sense now. My jaw clenched in anger. This was the guy that hurt her every day, I was face to face with the man who could have killed her the night before. Amanda… she looked familiar but I just figured it was from my dreams.

"Oh, I'm sorry, where does it hurt?" he asked, concerned. She arched an eyebrow, surprise. She gestured right below her right knee.

"Right about there is where the pain starts, but it streams up and down my leg and it hurts real bad." She said, surprised he cared. He nodded in understanding. I knew what he was gonna do, but she was too naive to see it. I ran as hard as I could across the parking lot and jumped in front of her taking the steal toe boot to my shin and tripping and landing right on my butt. Holy shit that would have hurt if Amanda's face wasn't right in front of mine, looking worried. She was worried about me. She was beautiful. And I couldn't help but smile. She smiled back and I wanted so much to lean forward and kiss her, and might have if he wouldn't have disturbed the moment.

"While this is all very touching, get your ass in the car Amanda!" he yanked her up off the ground and she stayed very still, looking at me. And that was it I stood up and walked toward him.

"Who's gonna make her huh?" I said, I was stronger than him and could take him out if I had too. He snarled a bit and shoved Amanda toward the car. He smirked for a minute and then reached into his back pocket. And began to point a pistol at Amanda. I began to back up slowly debating whether to do what I did next.

"That would be me my friend, that's right little buddy back it up, I'll take care of her, don't you worry, now run along." He slurred. Man this guy was so drunk, he made Two-Bit look sober. He started to cuss her out and call her every name in the book. I decided I had no choice, but to do what I did next. I ran to the car and went into the glove box, I looked back to see him shut her door. I raised my pistol and I shot him on the upper right back. He fell instantly and I knew he was dead. I bit my lip, I didn't feel guilty, not one bit. I was just worried about Amanda, about Amanda and me. She stepped out of the car, staring at her dead father a pool of blood starting to circulate him. She wrapped her arms around herself and walked over and stood by me.

"He's gone." She practically mouthed. I didn't know what to do. I mean, I knew he was her dad, but if my dad had treated me like that when he was alive, I wouldn't have cared the least bit where he ended up. In fact, I'd be happy if he was dead. But I wanted to comfort her anyway.

"Look I'm sorry about what happened. I just, I didn't know what he was gonna do to you, and if he hurt you, I couldn't live with myself and…." Unexpectedly, she wrapped her arms around my neck tightly. I was taken a back, but wrapped my arms around her waist. She laid her head on my chest

"Thank you, thank you so, so much." She squeezed me tighter. And then looked up at me. Without thinking, I leaned down and kissed her. This was going fast as hell, but that was fine by me, the situation was fast. She ran her hand through my hair, and slowly, but surely, began to kiss me back. We stood there like that for a good thirty seconds. When we were, to my disappointment, interrupted.

"Amanda and Sodapop, who'd of thought?! Oh that's right me!" There it was, Evie's I told you so. Amanda pulled away hurriedly and looked down embarrassed, with her arms crossed over her chest. Just to see if she'd let me, I pulled her into my chest and she just giggled.

"So I'm guessing the date went well." Steve was really happy, which could only mean one thing…

"I'd say so." I grinned. And then they saw the body. Evie screeched and clutched Steve. We told them what happened and they freaked out for a second.

"Ok with her dad's police record of abuse and his gun as evidence, you can get off real easy, no jail time before the trial or anything." Evie explained, Evie wasn't exactly a dumb blonde. The word trial rang in my head. I should have known I'd be on trial, I mean I'd killed someone. Why had I killed him anyway? I looked down at Amanda and I saw the reason. Her.

"Plus there's the fact that daddy's the sheriff in town, I'll make him go easy on y'all, he loves Stevie and your Stevie's best friend and he loves Amanda like another daughter. So this should go on real smoothly, the most you'd get stuck with is community service and since mom runs the boys and girl's homes of Tulsa, she can make sure you boys all stay together." Evie continued, Steve giving her a confused look.

"Love is a strong word, babe." he sighed. She rolled her eyes and looked at me for a response. I nodded and wrapped my arm around Amanda's waist. A glimmer of hope flickered upon her face.

"Thanks Evie you're a life saver. But we can't ask your family to do that much for us." I commented, it was asking an awful lot of them. But to be honest I knew we needed them to get our life back in order, and both her parents were pretty high up where they worked, so they both could make something work for us if they truly wanted to. Which made me think, they had decent jobs why were they not Socs? Oh well her and Steve would have never gotten together if she were a Soc, so maybe God made her hang out with our crowd because her and Steve wouldn't end up together any other way and they were meant to be together.

"It's no problem, really Soda, you had good intentions behind this and people need to see that. And if my parents can help that happen, so be it." Evie smiled and Steve gave her an admiring glance and then kissed her lightly on the forehead. I sighed and we offered Evie and Amanda a ride home.

"So are you sitting by me Amanda?" Evie asked. I wanted to sit by her though. She shrugged.

"I'm fine Evie, you go sit by Steve, and I'll sit next to him." She looked at me bashfully and quickly looked away. Evie smirked at me and then looked from me to Amanda. She giggled under her breath.

"Alright you too, say no more, we'll sit in front so I can keep an eye on you two." She looked us both up and down. Who did she think I was? I respected girls more than that. We got in the car and she sat close to the window, a thinking expression on her face.

"So, Amanda we decided we're gonna turn you guys in." Evie said matter-of- factly.

"What why?" She cried, Evie explained we can be let off easier if we turn ourselves in right then and there. She looked sick. I grabbed her hand and brought her closer to me. She stared at me.

"What am I gonna do?! I don't want to go to a girl's home… What are _you_ gonna do, this is all my fault." She whispered sharply. I shook my head impulsively. And her nose scrunched up all cute like again.

"You mean what are _we_ gonna do." I corrected. Trying to let her know we were in this together. A wisp of a smile crossed her face and she rested her head on my shoulder. I saw Steve smile through the review mirror, whether he wanted to admit it or not he was a romantic sap. I grabbed her hand and laced my fingers through hers. Hoping she felt for me the way I was already feeling for her. I didn't even know why I liked her so much, she had whatever it was. She let out a sharp breath bit her lip, letting me know she was just as nervous as I was.

**I know, that was a lot to take in, in one chapter! I... intensity! but i see romance blossoming in this big fat mess... well review people! please review! i dont want to keep writing if it sucks. sooo for those who might like it, if you want me to update again, then comment your thoughts :)**

**Jess**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: Amanda's POV

I sighed with relief the next morning, realizing I was in Evie's house. And then all last night's events came rushing back. I started to get worried about what I was gonna do, but then his reassuring words rang in my head, 'what are _we_ gonna do' I smiled while I thought about him. After deciding to forget the night before, he was a kind and generous and sweet and caring and loving and, need I go on? Didn't think so. He seemed to be everything I was looking for, everything I asked for in the songs I wrote about my dream boy, just everything. I was thrilled when he didn't have to be in the cooler until the court date which was in a month and a half. The police station seemed to be taking my father's murder lightly, obviously because of his record at the station, the officer that had handled everything was understanding as can be. After giving him my father's gun as evidence and interviewing Sodapop and I separately, coming out with the same story, he told us there was no need to worry and that he could almost confirm that Soda wouldn't be getting jail time, in fact he was so sure about it that he wanted to say Sodapop could get as little as a week of community service. Oh and I wouldn't be on trial at all, I would just need to take the stand for Sodapop's defense. I was happy as can be when I heard the news, I still wanted to get to know this guy. It all seemed to be going quick, but I didn't mind. And I'd leapt at the chance to go see him at the gas station the next morning so Evie could get some "Supplies" for "her car". There are so many things wrong with that sentence it's not even funny. First of all, Evie knew absolutely nothing about cars, so she wouldn't even know if there was something wrong with the car, even if the engine was blowing smoke, so she wouldn't know what supplies she'd need if it hit her in the face. Plus, she didn't have a car, her parents had taken the two cars to a bible study out of town for the weekend, so I didn't understand how that excuse to see Steve was even valid. Actually, I didn't even understand why she had to have an excuse. Her excuse should just be she wanted to see her boyfriend, and what I really didn't understand, was why it was so hard for them to admit they were in love, I mean, Steve was all she talked about. But oh well, that wasn't my relationship, and it seemed to work for them. And if they were stubborn, so be it. We'd been free to go last night at the police station, because our gun evidence and my dad's extensive abuse record at the station. But we would definitely be receiving a call about the trial, and that scared me. But thankfully, I wouldn't end up in a girl's home since I had no parents now, Evie's parents legally had me until I was eighteen. And I was very thankful for that. And they luckily could wait until Monday to sign the papers. Evie had told me we were going to the gas station that night so I decided to curl my hair. I got up and began to take the big curlers out of my hair, as I took the last one out Evie came into the bathroom with a white towel wrapped around her otherwise naked body wringing out her newly washed hair. She smiled at me and walked next to me. Looking in the bathroom mirror like I'd been before she walked in. She fluffed one of my brown ringlets and glanced at my outfit that lay on the bathroom counter and winked at me.

"Somebody's getting dressed up." She giggled nudging me. I shrugged and half smiled at her. She bluntly dropped her towel and changed in front of me like she always did, which never bothered me, she was like my sister. I sighed as she began to brush a comb, probably Steve's, through her blonde hair, she was so pretty, flawless even. I knew she could get a much better best friend than me. Oh well though, I'd never trade her for the world.

"You really like him don't you girlie?" She giggled putting a barrette in her hair. I shrugged happily and slipped my skinny jeans on and my favorite black tank top.

"Well, I just met him, ya know." I twisted my mouth around to keep from smiling. She nudged me again. I did really like him an awful lot. She took my hand and made me realize she was changed and ready to walk to the gas station. She dragged me out the door, skipping as she did. I rolled my eyes playfully and gently released myself from her grip around my wrist. She looked back and then slowed to walk with me. We walked and she teased me about Sodapop. When we reached the gas station we walked into the mini mart, where Soda might be working, if he was even on the clock, I hoped he was. We walked through the door.

"Here's fifty cents go ahead and get you and I a drink will ya?" Evie asked. I nodded and she walked out a back door that lead to the garage that she'd said Steve worked at. I sighed and looked around for the drinks and grabbed Evie her coke and began to look for a juice drink, I don't like soda. I was completely stumped, all I saw was Soda and water. My shoulders collapsed and I stood there for a minute before I was going to just get Evie her coke and just not get anything.

"Hey!" I heard Soda say. I knew it was him before he even spun me around.

He gave me a happy go lucky grin and took my right hand and led me to a different refrigerator of drinks and handed me a can of lemonade and smiled

"Hi there." I smiled back I walked up to the counter and set the drinks on the counter. He went behind the counter and shook his head.

"On the house." He touched my hand that was on the counter. Ok, now I was weak in the knees. I was happy to see him. He made me happy. I giggled for no reason but that I was with him.

"Oh, I couldn't, I got money Sodapop." I said setting the quarters down. He arched an eyebrow and then smirked.

"Well, I'll let you pay if…" He trailed off good-humoredly. I crossed my arms over my chest and bit my lip to keep from smiling.

"If…?" I smiled, I couldn't contain it anymore. He put his elbows on the tables and gazed at me for a moment then tapped his chin, pretending to think than ran a hand through his greasy hair.

"If you hang out with me for the day, and let me take you out again this week, maybe tonight." He stated his deal, and I tried to contain my excitement. I bit the inside of my cheek so hard, I was surprised it didn't bleed.

"Well, if you insist." I smiled thankful that he asked. I was afraid last night had been our first and last date. He nodded at me and walked from behind the counter, bringing me into him by the waist. He leaned down to my ear.

"I do." He murmured, I looked up at him and laughed awkwardly, I wanted to kiss him so bad, but I didn't have to want for long. He leaned down and kissed me softly and I smashed my lips against his, he started to kiss me harder. He pushed me against the counter and blocked me so I couldn't move. It started to make me uncomfortable, but I ignored it and kept kissing him. Then it started to scare me, I had no control over my body anymore, it reminded me of when my dad would take the control away from me and kick me and punch me and all. In a way, I didn't want to pull away but I did. He looked at me, confused and I shrugged out from between him and the counter.

"What's wrong?" he asked, seemingly sad. Why would he be sad to stop kissing me? I wasn't any cuter than any other regular girl in Tulsa. But oh well, he seemed to like me too, and I wasn't gonna question him. At any moment he could realize he was too good for me.

"I… I…I'm….well." I stumbled, embarrassed for my reason. He looked at me, pulling my head up by my chin. I sighed, hoping he wouldn't find the reason stupid or offensive.

"You can tell me Amanda, you can tell me anything." He pulled me in for a light hug and then pulled me away. I explained it, on the verge of tears, but I held them back. He hugged me again and told me he would never hurt me. And any time I didn't like something he was doing all I had to do was tell him no and he would stop. I was comfortable again.

"I better get going to check on Evie who knows what they are doing." I said, walking towards the back door. Not giving him a chance to respond. I walked out the door to Evie making out with Steve. She sat on the hood of the car he was working on. He started to kiss her neck and she started to squirm, warning him to stop. He huffed and gazed into her eyes.

"Come on, the owners ain't coming back for the car until tomorrow, and I'm on break." Steve snickered. Evie rolled her eyes and pushed him off of her.

"Steven Randle, I told you a thousand times, I'm never gonna fool around with you in the cars you're working on." She said, annoyed.

"Oh come on baby, who doesn't want to in a Ferrari?" he smiled. I knew Evie would go on and slap him soon, so I cleared my throat to get their attention.

"Oh, Mandy! Just in time!" she shoved Steve off of her again and hopped off the hood of the car and walked by my side. Steve sighed, frustrated with himself. He banged his head on the car. The door opened and Sodapop peeked his head out the door and saw me.

"Well, we'll see you guys later." I sighed and Evie grabbed my hand and started to walk. Sodapop spun me around and looked at me, his face said said,_ did I do something wrong? _I shook my head before he could even ask.

"Evie wants to head home." I said, then realizing that I'd been forgetting our deal. I looked back at Evie to see her shooing me to go with him. She let go of my hand that she'd been holding, and I collapsed back into Sodapop's arms. Where I felt safest. I looked back and she winked at me and walked up to me. And whispered in my ear.

"I'm gonna go, I'll pick up Steve when he gets off at three, this is the last day my parents are gonna be gone, give me till eight and then you can come home, I promise you can come home then." Evie begged. I sighed.

"Where am I supposed to go while you're, with him?" I whispered back sharply. She looked up at Sodapop and smiled, exaggerating it. She clasped her hands together as if she'd just thought of something spectacular idea.

"Well, Soda how's about Mandy goes and meets the gang tonight, me and Stevie are well, busy at my house." Soda smiled and rubbed the back of his neck. "Only if she wants to, I mean they scared her something awful the other night so only if she feels comfortable." Sodapop said respectfully. Evie gave me a pleading look and I sighed and nodded. Evie jumped for joy and then blew me a kiss. She went back to Steve and passionately kissed and pranced out the door. Steve looked at me, confused as ever.

"Two things Amanda, one, I thought she was mad at me. And two, you need us to come and look after you while you're at their house." He said it nice, like he didn't mean to act like he was gonna look after a two year old. I sighed, tired of people wanting to help me. They all acted like I was scared of Sodapop still. And by last night's happening, he didn't like it when people hurt me. I shrugged, in a_ beats me_ kind of way. Then I saw Evie stick her head back in the door. She smirked at me and Sodapop and I knew she was gonna ask something I'd prefer her not to ask.

"So are you two a thing now?" she asked frankly. I shrugged and so did he. Steve started to chuckle as he looked through his tools, and Evie started to get into a fit of giggles.

"Then what should we call you two, make out buddies, don't think we didn't check on you two." My face burned and Evie gave me a sympathetic glance that quickly turned into a huge grin. I felt Soda take my hand and now my face was so hot I thought it might fall off.

"Um you think, if she wants to, I could borrow her for the day, I get off at five and well, I want to like hang out with her. Like the rest of the day" He said a bit shyly. I bit my lip again.

"I was already gonna leave her here with you, she seemed to wanna stay with you, but anyway I'm really leaving this time, see you at eight Mandy?" I nodded and she happily skipped out the door. I started to walk inside and Sodapop followed me quickly. He offered me a seat behind the counter and I sat down.

"So this is your part time job?" I asked trying to make conversation. He looked at me, ashamed. He explained that he'd dropped out when his parents died to help his older brother Darry with the bills. That made me feel awful. And made my reason for dropping out look pathetic. I sighed, I needed to go by the art shop that my old art teacher owned and see if she'd give me that open full time spot at the checkout counter. It was the perfect job for me. And I'd never be able to go back to school, I didn't want to. Like I said it just wasn't for me. Then the dreaded question came.

"You want me to give you a ride to school, I'd love to, I can pick you up from Evie's house, and we can take Evie to and…" I waved my arms to tell him to stop talking. He did immediately. I shook my head.

"I don't go to school." I explained that I had dropped out, I knew he would want me to explain why I had, but I was feeling like he would maybe think I'm a failure or some shit. I felt like I should have tried until it was hopeless like Sodapop's situation. I gulped and heard another group of his gentle words rang in my head. '_You can tell me anything Amanda.' _he'd purred gently just minutes before. So I decided to tell him the truth.

"Sodapop, I just wasn't any good in school. I failed almost all my classes except art and gym and I, well my situation didn't leave room for things I was no good at. I had better things to do then try and fail at something that took up most of my time, my time could be put to better use than that." I sighed, happy to be done with explaining my biggest failure. I looked down at my feet and started to make a beat with my shoes on the floor.

"Exactly!" I heard him exclaim. "Darry couldn't get all the bills done on his own, so I dropped out and decided to get a full time instead of part time job like I had been here! I wasn't any good in school either, so I figured helping Darry was more important than failing a bunch of classes" he said excitedly. No one was here, which Evie said was really uncommon for this place, it was usually booming. He sat kneeled down on the floor, and we started to talk. He told me about a horse. His name was Mickey Mouse, and even though Sodapop didn't really own him, he worked at the stables Mickey Mouse lived at and Sodapop loved that horse. He was a mean horse according to Sodapop, he was mean to his owners, and the other horses, and the other stable boys. Sodapop said he was nice to him though, and he loved Mickey Mouse an awful lot. But then, Mickey Mouse got sold to another man. Sodapop seemed really sad to talk about this, so I said he didn't have to continue, but he said it was fine. By the time he was done with the story, he was getting teary eyed. That's when I knew Sodapop had probably cried for a long time after Mickey left. I felt bad and put my hand on his shoulder.

"Hey Sodapop?" I asked, trying to make other conversation that wasn't depressing. He looked up at me and smiled. But what I had the urge to say wasn't necessarily depressing, but it was kind of heavy.

"What is it?" he said eagerly, like he cared, like I mattered. I gulped knowing what I was going to say was going to come out cheesy, but I wanted to see what he'd would say.

"When you said you'd never let anything hurt me, did you mean it? Like when I'm at your house tonight, will you stay by me, like with me, I mean you don't have to, but I mean if you could, well I guess it would be if would, or which one do you think Sodapop, because I…" he cut me off and pecked me quickly on the lips. I smiled and he bounced one of my curls. I started to dance inside and he leaned in to whisper in my ear.

"Whatever you think is right. And yes, I wasn't planning on leaving you either way, and when I say I will do something for you or I promise you something I will never ever break that Amanda. Ever. Oh and I like your hair like that." He noticed! I screamed on the inside He leaned away from my ear and leaned in to kiss me again and I wasn't going to stop him. I could feel his breath on my mouth when someone talked, and it wasn't Evie or Steve. He looked up and turned around to see a girl, a Soc definitely, chomped on her gum and twisted thread of her hair and winked at Sodapop. Who did this girl think she was? Flirting with him like that. I looked away, trying to lie to myself. I wasn't jealous, I wasn't a jealous person, but maybe I was because it was him. He smiled at her and I decided to think of it in an optimistic way. He was polite to girls but my jaw couldn't help but clench, and the jealous crept back right away. I sighed as the girl practically shoved her boobs out of her shirt as she rested her elbows on the counter. She grabbed her whatever she got, I didn't care enough to look and she shook her hips as she walked out the door. He walked back over to me.

"Sorry about that, wow you might want to loosen your jaw, it's gonna break." He laughed. I unclenched it and lightly smiled at him. Then I remembered again, I had to go get that job at the art store.

"So you get off at five?" I asked, I wanted to see if he would come with me to go apply for the job with me. I rubbed the back of my neck and crossed my legs. He nodded and put the change in the drawer. Then turned back to me, it seemed like he was looking at me every chance he got.

"That'd be the time, ya need something?" he asked starting to wipe down the counter. I nodded and he looked up at me, waiting for me to answer. I opened my mouth to speak when someone walked in again.

"Go ahead, this place is gonna be real busy soon, it's almost lunch." He said. I beamed happily.

"I'm going to apply for a job today, at that art appliances store, they've got a full time position open and I need to get a job and my old art teacher owns the store so I good chance of getting it." I explained he got a reckless look on his face and flicked something off the counter and then ran back over to me and kneeled down and looked up at me., and like a five year old said,

"Can I come?!" I giggled and nodded and he exaggerated a fit of clapping and yays. Making me go into a real fit of laughter. He smiled and went back to sit in his seat by the cash register. After ringing up another flirtatious girl, the jealousy started to wear off. I figured every girl went weak in the knees when they saw him. But he was my, well he wasn't my anything but I hoped he would be. And he seemed to like me. I mean he kept kissing me so I hoped that was why he kept kissing me. He waved me over.

"Don't be shy, come sit with me." I gladly moved my chair next to his without a word. I was careful not to look too desperate by sitting too close to him and sat about three inches away from him. He looked at me and then grabbed my hand. I sighed and girls started to pile in all over the store, all overly flirting with him and laughing at everything he said, even when it wasn't funny. But whenever a girl walked up to the counter he gave my hand a tight squeeze. Even the girls who walked in with their boyfriends flirted with Sodapop when the boyfriend wasn't looking.

The rest of the day went on just the same. He kissed me again when he took me to the Dairy Queen for lunch on his break. After a while, it hit five o'clock and he locked up, having to shove girls out the door as he did.

"Alright, before we go, come with me!" he said racing me behind the building, us hand in hand. I huffed out a breath and took my hands, smiling and staring, like he constantly did.

"Sodapop, what's going on?" I laughed carelessly. He squeezed my hands again and then let go. He gave me an original smile and started to take off his shirt. I gulped and my eyes started to bulge. My breath quickened and he handed me his blue DX shirt. I could feel my face soften and then I grabbed it from him, careful not to be too hasty.

"What is this for?" I said laughing and wringing it over my right shoulder. He put his hands in his pockets and started to look a little embarrassed. He looked at me and grabbed my hands again.

"I want you to be my girl, Amanda. And if you will be, I want people to know it. So I have another one of these at home and if you will be I was wondering if you'd wear it maybe? Or is it too soon? Yeah I know it's too soon, I can't lie about that, but I got to have you before someone else takes you, now that you're out of your father's shadow. Trust me somebody will. And plus I don't want to be just "make out buddies" or whatever Evie called us, I want to be official, I guess." He jabbered, not letting go of my hands the whole time. I didn't want to seem to eager, but if he wanted me, he'd get all of me, not the all bottled up inside me. I hopped up and rung my hands around his neck and put my head on his chest.

"Yep, yes I will, if you really want me to, I mean, I…" I cut myself off and hugged him tighter. We stood there for a minute, I knew both of us were taking in the fact that we were no longer single. I pulled away first, and told him we should get going, it closed at six and we started to walk. He grabbed my hand again and wouldn't stop giving me compliments.

"You're beautiful, you know that Amanda?" he smiled at me and brought me closer to him. I sighed and thanked him but he just kept going on and on about how amazing I was. I didn't see it, but it felt good to hear it.

"You, you, I don't know how to explain it. But I really think you are amazing, you light up a room without even trying, and you have a heart of gold, I can't wait to get to know you better." He happily stated. Interlocking my fingers with his. We made it to the art store and I walked in, it was deserted, not like the DX had been. The bell at on the door jangled as we walked inside. My plump art teacher sat painting a canvas at the front of the room by a cash register. She looked up and smiled at me brightly, getting up and walking over to me for an embrace. I let go of Sodapop's hand and tightly wrapped my arms around her. She looked me up and down and sighed.

"Oh Amanda you've grown so much, you are a beautiful young lady now." She leaned toward me. "And I wish I could say I was sorry about your father, that no good rotten man deserved what he got, no offense darling." And I knew she was right, and I felt the same way about it. When I'd seen him, lying there, not moving not breathing. I didn't feel the way most kids would feel if their dad died. I mean I sort of felt the same feeling you feel when you hear someone died on the news. Like, poor them, I feel kind of sorry that, that happened. So here is a way to explain it, I gave as much remorse to his death as much as he was a father to me. and that wasn't much. She looked up at Soda and I heard him gulp.

"And you killed him huh?" her eyes narrowed and she shook her head. He nodded slowly, moving closer to me.

"Y-Yes ma'am." I looked at her and internally whined. Did she have to seem this hard on him? She smiled and patted him on the shoulder.

"Why'd you do it?" she pressed. I kind of wanted to know the answer to that too, so I turned around and looked at him, he was staring at Anna, the art teacher. Deathly afraid.

"Well, he had a gun, and he could have hurt her, and he was um really drunk and so I didn't know what else to do." He stumbled for words. Anna clasped her hand and got a warm smile on her face she brought Sodapop in for a side squeeze. She chuckled and sighed.

"Oh baby girl, he saved you from hell. And now he's on trial, he did this all for you baby, and I want you to know it." She hugged me again. I nodded and looked to him.

"Thank you Mr. Curtis." I flirted. He smiled and I pretended to curtsey, he smirked and tipped his DX hat, sarcastically.

"If there's anything I can do to repay you, my hero." I continued, he tipped my chin, and smiled, pushing my curl out of my eyes.

"I guess there is one thing you could do." Sodapop leaned in and kissed me lightly. Anna cleared her throat, then we looked up blushingly. She shook her head, half smiling. He wrapped his arms around my waist and I smiled at Anna. Then laid my head on his chest. She touched my arm lightly.

"I've never seen you so happy Amanda." She sighed. He squeezed me tighter and I smiled. I started to turn around and he lightly turned me and held me like a backwards hug.

"So is that job still available Anna?" I asked. She nodded and started to clap.

"And it's all yours Amanda, other people have applied, but I want you to have it sweetie." She smiled. I was so happy I could scream. I turned around to look at Sodapop and smiled at me and I hopped short little hops for a moment, he grabbed me by my waist and lifted me up, spinning me around high up, then putting me on the floor again gently. He hugged me to his chest.

"I'm so happy for you baby." He exclaimed. I saw Anna give us an admiring glance. I was lucky to have him. No doubt about that.

"Tomorrow at nine, full time so you'll be here 'till five. I'll go easy on you during vacation days and days off, I can promise you that Mandy. Have a good evening you two. Oh, and you better be good to her boy." Her eyes narrowed a bit showing she was serious and he nodded quickly. She turned around and went back to her canvas.

"So people can call you Mandy, huh?" he said teasingly, poking me in the rib as he did. I nodded. But then decided to tease him right back. I stopped on the side walk and put my hand on my hip.

"Well, my friends can." He playfully elbowed me. And I smiled at him, breathing a laugh. Then he finally spoke through that honey voice of his.

"I'm your boyfriend, doesn't that count?" he asked in a regular tone in his voice. And then it really sunk in, he was my boyfriend. And he just said it to me. I had a tingly sensation run through my body.

"Well I guess it does Sodapop." I huffed, pretending to be annoyed. His nose scrunched as if just realizing something.

"Call me Soda, I'll call ya Mandy, if ya want that is." He said happily. I nodded and started to fiddle with my fingers. He wrapped his arms around my waist again and kissed me in the middle of the side walk. I ran my fingers through his greased back hair, loving it. When a red Stinger pulled to the side of the road. I could see a pack of about five boys in the car and the driver rolled down the window and cackled.

"Say pretty thing, what you doing with a greaser like that. Come with us, we'll show you a good old time." He snickered and I heard some laughs from the back of the car. I swallowed hard, more nervous than the night I'd met Soda. He put me under his arm on the side that wasn't by the street and we started to walk. I looked back at the car that still trailed right next to us. I admitted something to Soda.

"I'm scared Soda." I whispered so only he could hear. He tightened his grip around me and snuggled me deeper under his arm.

"Don't be baby, I'll get you out of here." He assured me, starting to walk faster, but the car just sped right up. There was no way in hell we'd be getting out of here. The boy in the passenger spoke up with laughter in his voice.

"We really don't want to do this, but if you don't hand her over, we are gonna get out of the car and put the hurt on ya, oh what we'd love to!" the whole car went into hysterics again, and I could see fear growing in his eyes, so he was scared too. The driver gave us a dagger, they had to be at least a little drunk, even though it wasn't dark out yet, but knowing the Socs, that didn't mean a thing. I leaned to whisper to Soda again.

"What are we gonna do?" I wasn't going to cry, but I was gonna start to whimper or something. I was deeply scared of Soc boys, especially drunk ones.

"Just keep cool darlin'." He whispered. I looked away from the Socs and squeezed my eyes shut. I heard the other windows roll down. Then the doors opened and my heart beat quickened.

"We don't like secrets, and you just told one, didn't you? Get them boys." The driver nodded toward us. I had time to put my shirt from Soda on and then they started to cuss Soda out and he put me behind him. I held tightly onto his shirt and his right hand held onto my wrist.

Two of the boys came and took Soda out and I held on to his hand, refusing to let go but then another one came up behind me and tore me away from him. Two of the boys pinned me against the store wall and the other one stood inches away from my face. He caressed my chin and smirked and I turned my head as he got closer to my face, but I just got faced the other boy's face who was holding me against the building. Looking back over at the guy who faced the front of me.

"You got nice hair, oh not a bad body either, a real nice rack especially, huh baby?" I gulped and the boy to my left started play with my hair, the boy to my right ran his fingers up and down my thigh.

"Stop, please." I said, knowing they wouldn't. The boy in the front of me seemed to be the leader laughed and kicked me in the shin.

"So cute, you think we're done with you. Sorry, but we've just begun. If you think he can show you a good time, wait'll you see what I can do. You really are a sexy little thing too." He breathed on my neck and I shuddered. I started to quiver.

"No, I, I'm actually not." I stuttered not knowing what else to say, I bit my lip. They all laughed again and I started to scream for Sodapop.

"Soda! Sodapop, please help me!" I looked over and saw him, trying to escape the other two. He gave me a helpless look.

"Amanda! I'm trying just hold o…" before he could finish one of them socked him win the stomach. I winced. The boy to my left forced me to look at the boy to my front.

"Oh, don't be so modest, you know you are a looker, now you know if you are so pretty like this I wonder what's under all that cover up, hm, let's have a little show and tell, Amanda is it?" I screamed, more scared than I'd ever been in my life.

"Get the hell away from her you son of a…" I heard him get punched I screamed for him in sympathy, I was the reason he was in this situation.

"Alright let's start boys, this ought to be fun, she's the prettiest greaser I've ever saw." The front boy started to kiss my neck, it felt like a little snake bite every time he did, both the boys on my sides grazed my thighs again. Tears started to stream down my face, because I knew they weren't kidding me around. Soda started to scream my name again and I looked over at him, not bothering to try and stay dry eyed I started to sob and they laughed. I started to whimper Soda's name. Then something came over me, and I knew the guy wouldn't be expecting it at all. I tried to steady my breath but I couldn't. I hocked a lougie in the front boy's face. He wiped it off and shook his head slowly with a snicker.

"You just made things far worse. Pity, he can't help you. Let's go see what he's up to shall we?" they shoved me toward Soda and we grabbed for each other but they pulled me back. The two boys that had been holding me against the wall restrained me from going to Soda, the boy that had been in front of me walked in a circle around me, after about thirty seconds of walking he stopped to face the front of me.

"You got yourself quite a girl, hm?" he asked Soda. Sodapop's eyes narrowed and he just nodded. He put a finger on my neck and lightly grazed it for a moment. My teeth started to chatter, even though it was nowhere near cold.

"Wonder why she'd go for a greaser like you." One of them cackled. I gave Soda a helpless look and he looked back at me. The boy brought me closer to his body and I was stone still, I don't even know if I was breathing at that moment.

"I wonder the same thing." Soda hissed back. The front boy ran his hand up my shirt so he touched my bare skin, he tugged on my bra and I screamed.

"She's so, what's the word… pure. Yeah pure, if you want to be with a greaser you got to be dirty. So let's go use her.." I started to sob again and they pinned me up against the wall again. This wasn't happening. Now that my dad was gone and I was with Soda everything was supposed to be good. But that was a stupid thing to think when you were a Greaser.

"What do you think? Let's get you a in the car and we'll drive somewhere." He spat in my face. I squeezed my eyes shut, still crying bloody murder. I squirmed and he shoved me against his car. Then a deep voice rang in.

"Wrong time boys, wrong fucking time." I turned to see about eight greaser boys standing there. I gulped and tried to escape them, but I couldn't still. Three of the greaser boys marched over to Soda and helped him escape, they started to beat the two boys that had held Sodapop hostage up, Soda ran at an unnatural speed to me and the other three Socs started to loosen their grips on me. One in a Mickey Mouse shirt dragged me away from them. And the rest of the Greasers focused on beating down the ones that had hurt me. Mickey Mouse straightened me up, I recognized him, he was probably Sodapop's friend from the first day I'd met Soda, but I couldn't be sure. He breathed hard and then put a hand on my shoulder, I reared back. I turned around to see Soda maybe two feet away with slightly open arms, I lunged towards him and he squeezed me tighter than he had ever squeezed me before. He held on to me and breathed hard. He kissed the top of my head. And then looked me up and down for a moment, still holding on to me. Then hugged me again. I didn't care anymore, I buried my head into his shirt and bawled m I didn't care anymore, I buried my head into his shirt and bawled my eyes out for about five minutes.

"Amanda I can't tell you how sorry I am." He gulped. I was still crying and he cradled me in his arms. A chill went up my spine.

"It's my fault Soda, don't blame yourself." I . He squeezed me all the tighter and said otherwise. We stood there for a few minutes, I just cried into his chest. Then someone cleared their throat. I tried to turn around, still sobbing but Soda put me back into his chest thankfully. And I just kept crying. He stroked my head.

"Oh, baby I am so sorry." He hic upped. And he did circle eights on my back. I heard an all-out brawl going on but I just kept whimpering into his shirt. I pulled away took a deep breath and wiped my eyes, straightening up.

"You must think I'm some kind of wimp." I breathed an awkward, unsteady laugh. He shook his head. And took my right hand and sighed. He looked confused to why I would think so.

"Amanda, you don't always have to be so brave." He sighed bringing me close again. My nose scrunched in confusion. And he just laughed. But I was still confused. That statement that he had just made, made no sense what so ever.

"What are you talking about I cry like a baby every time you see me." I shook my head in disbelief. He just laughed and kissed my cheek.

"What are you talking about? You are reading this situation all wrong. You are a tough cookie babe. Most people with your life you've lived would have gone off the deep end. Maybe you're not brave you are strong _and_ brave. Don't ever doubt that. I just about died when they were… touching you and I didn't know what they were going to do to you, it killed me Amanda, it killed me, I couldn't do anything about it, I couldn't help it, thinking about you being gone and not being able to be with you.. I mean, I'd die without you." My eyes expanded and I looked up at him, he looked at me longingly, like this was the last moment he'd see me.

"We've only known each other for three days." I stated unsteadily. But I knew I felt the same way. He kissed me lightly, making me wince a bit. He touched my face with the back of his hand.

"I know but you, I don't want to let you go, I don't want to be away from you, in fact after what happened, I don't want you to walk to work, or go anywhere alone, I'll take you places and I am absolutely sure Evie's dad won't mind taking you some places." He explained. I rolled my eyes a bit, probably for the first time in my life, knowing what my dad would have done if I had to him. I just nodded and then the boy's devilish face appeared and where he'd touched me under my shirt started to sting. And my eyes welled with tears, but I kept it cool, thinking about what could have happened, what _would_ have happened. He looked down at me and opened his arms and I shrunk into them again. Only lightly crying this time.

"I'm sorry it just hurts so bad." I cried. I swallowed hard and shivered as a gust of wind blew toward us. He took his jacket off and wrapped it around me. And I looked up and kissed him lightly, my lips quivering. So I just kissed him on the cheek. He half smiled and kissed my fore head. I hugged him again. Then I heard someone clear their throat. I let out a yelp and jumped a bit.

"It's alright, it's just my friends you don't need to worry, here I'll introduce you, he turned me around and wrapped his arms around me backwards and the eight greasers I had seen earlier stood there. I didn't say anything.

"Hi, I'm…" he didn't finish and stuck his hand out. I was a bit jumpy after what had happened. I didn't really think he was gonna hurt me but I guess no body in Tulsa could be trusted anymore, besides Soda and Evie. I could remember back when I was in school in kinder when no one cared what neighborhood you came from it wasn't even who you were, everyone hung out with everyone, and I guess in a way we lost something that made us something that made us less judgmental, and as we got older we lost it. Then we all went with or little groups of people that "matched" us. But Evie and I were always together, we didn't change with the rest of them. It was only us two that hung out on a regular basis together, I mean we said hi to other people in the halls, but no one else had the balls to hang out with a Greaser if they were a Soc and vice versa, it was madness.

"Don't worry these are my friends they won't hurt you." He nudged me towards the man. And I lightly shook his hand then I hopped back into Soda's arms snuggling into him. I could only feel trust towards him and I only felt safe around him. He wrapped his arms around me tight and kissed the top of my head. I bit my lip and looked back at them, they seemed nice, but so did those Socs when they seemed like they would just drive on by. No one seemed like they could be trusted, or at least a limited amount of people could be. I gave them a short wave and they all gave me cool smiles.

"How you doin'?" a boy maybe sixteen smirked at me. It seemed like flirting, but I didn't want to make it out to be what it wasn't. Maybe he was just being friendly. I looked up and Soda's jaw was clenched.

"Shut the hell up Curly." He scoffed. He tightened his grip around me. I touched his hand softly. And he loosened his grip around me.

"Nice to meet you Curly." I shook my head in acknowledgement. I needed to come out of my scared puppy shell, it really wasn't attractive. He smirked at Soda who shot him a death stare. Before I could try to calm Sodapop down a boy with rust colored side burns stuck a hand in which I shook lightly and he laughed. I scrunched my nose in confusion, what was so funny.

"Soda dating a shy girl, never thought I'd see the day that happened. She's just so nice… and he's so, him." an anger over came me and I snapped the way I had never snapped before, and I had a feeling that it was because Soda was giving me the confidence I'd never had before.

"Shut the hell up bastard." I hissed. Everyone went bug eyed. I bit my lip with embarrassment. Maybe I had taken that a bit too far. I needed to go home even if Evie was doing it with Steve, she'd understand.

"That's more like it, I knew there was some Bella in you! Welcome to the family." The boy smiled and rested a palm on my shoulder. I lightly smiled back and he looked up at Sodapop. And gave him a wicked smile.

"Two-Bit Matthews." He introduced himself moving his hand to shake my hand. I nodded and smiled again, a little brighter at his happiness. Was feeling better but I still wanted to go home.

"I know it's not eight but can I go home?" I asked I really needed some time with Evie after what had just happened, cry for the night then I'd be good. I was l

Like that, I just needed a day to get over it.

"Can you take me home, to Evie's?" I asked, looking up at him. His shoulders slumped and a pleading look overcame his eyes. I sighed, not knowing how I was going to say no to him. The look on his face asked why.

"I'd just feel safer at Evie's. If you would I'd like you to come for the night, I'd feel safer that way too." I said a bit uncomfortably. I didn't know what he was going to say, not that I meant anything by it. Then a boy's voice screeched out.

"Mmmmmm you getting lucky already Sod?" Two-Bit laughed. I started to turn red with embarrassment and my eyes narrowed.

"Is the reason why they call you Two-Bit because you talk too much? Because now would be a really good time to learn how to shut up." I snapped. I covered my mouth, shocked I'd said that. Two-Bit cocked an eyebrow, taking a step back and raising his hands in surrender.

"Alrighty, this chick's got more balls than I thought." Another boy, I hadn't been introduced to yet, shrugged. I sighed and gave Soda a look and he led me to car nearby. He opened the door for me and I stepped into a souped up old car, still better than my dad's old car.

"So I'll see you tomorrow, maybe I'll pick you up and we'll go have a picnic, sound good? I'll pick you up at like eleven. Sound good?" he touched my hand that rested on my leg and then squeezed it gently. He kissed my cheek and brought me close for a minute. The warmth of him helped it all, I was beginning to forget what had happened to me. I opened the car door and hopped out giving him a weak smile. And slammed it, running towards the door, all the feelings and the images of the Socs came rushing back, he was the only one that could keep the bad out of my life. I ran toward the door, the safe feeling that overwhelmed me anytime I was around him was gone.


	4. Chapter 4

Sodapop's POV

That night, I had wished I wouldn't have ignored her request for me to stay with her. I missed her already, and after what had happened today, I would feel better if I was around. Which I guess didn't make much sense considering I wasn't much help to her, which I resented too, but it just made me feel better.

"Your girlfriend doesn't seem to like me all that much." Two-Bit laughed I rolled my eyes. Ponyboy walked in, Moby Dick in hand. I'd heard of that book but definitely never read it. Like I said earlier, I wasn't a big reader. I'd never finished a book in my life, not even no kid books.

"Because you were an ass, she's used to, when a guy's an ass he's going to hurt her, that's the life she's sort of lived." I sighed. Thinking about her made me want to be with her. I sighed and my shoulders slumped.

"Buddy, you know I'd never hurt a girl, especially your girl, like in any way ever." Two-Bit got a rare serious look on his face, letting me know he absolutely meant what he was saying.

"She is your girl right?" Darry walked in and sipped a chocolate milk. I was able to say yes, she was, not 'it's complicated' or some shit. I looked up at Darry coyly. He cracked a smile and messed with my hair. I smoothed my pride and joy right back. I was really wishing I could talk to her. Everyone teased me about her and asked me questions about her that I couldn't even remotely begin to answer. Like 'what do you think of her?' how was I supposed to answer that? I thought the world of her, well I guess it wasn't that hard to answer.

"Seems like you miss her already." Darry sighed with rare sympathy. Pony groaned and stomped out of the room. We all looked at each other including Steve who I had picked up when I had dropped off Amanda. We shrugged and I nodded a bit somberly. He must have been having girl troubles. Steve sprung up when the phone began to ring to go answer it the way he usually did. He did the usual hello who is this bit and then his eyebrows knit together in confusion.

"It's Evie, she wants to talk to you." A hint of rage in his voice. He always got jealous over Evie, which I didn't understand because Evie wouldn't even sputter the word cheat when talking about their relationship. But when Curly had started coming onto Mandy earlier, Steve's actions seemed to make sense. I got so jealous it was without a doubt not even funny. I understood where Steve was coming from now.

"Soda it's Evie, I was wondering, if you knew what Amanda woke up screaming about, I've never heard anything about this group of boys touching her, she talks in her sleep, so that's how I know that much but when she actually woke up she was crying and wouldn't tell me what she'd been screaming about. And she tells me everything, or at least I thought she did. Oh and she kept screaming your name and telling you not to leave her and that she didn't want to lose you in her sleep too." I gulped. How could I be happy about this? I was happy because I had an excuse to see her, and that she didn't want to lose me, but I was dying inside knowing how hard she had actually taken getting hurt so badly. Who could blame her though?

"I'll be right over." I said, she didn't say anything and hung up. I didn't even have to say anything and Darry just looked at me, he knew I would take the car after what had happened. But Darry surprisingly held me back. I looked at him and he shook his head I was so confused.

"Evie's dad called me and told me about the night of your blind date. You killed someone!? When did you plan on telling me?! I know why so in a way, that was really quite bold, but you put our family at risk." He said seriously, but he wasn't freaking out the way he normally would have. He knew this girl was extra special to me.

"I'm crazy about her Dar." I smiled at just the thought of Amanda. I really was dying to be with her.

"I get that, and that's why I'm going easy on you, I mean think about it Soda, you killed someone! You're lucky Jim, Mr. Montgomery is able to get you out of this or your ass would be grass. I nodded, truly taking in my older brother's words. He shooed me, letting me know I could go. I bolted for the door, not bothering to say bye to any of the guys. She was all that mattered right now. I pulled the car door open so fast it practically tore it right off. And I jammed the key into the ignition, not using the proper care that I usually gave the old car. I zoomed into the night, trying to trace my mind to remember exactly where Evie lived. I'd figure it out. I pulled into a couple drive ways on the street I knew was hers, I saw lights out in all of them, and then I saw the lights on in a house on but no sound. Then I saw a glimpse of Evie's one of a kind type of curl in her bleach blonde hair through the window, I knew it was her, I didn't even need to see her face. I hopped out and jogged to the doorway knocking only to hear Evie scream for me to come in I did and curiously walked in, putting my hands in my pockets awkwardly, noticing no one was downstairs. I started to walk up the stairs, praying that Evie's parents were still gone. I hadn't seen any cars out front, but you just never knew. The last thing I needed was Amanda's guardians taking a disliking to me, because I sure as hell wasn't gonna stay away from her, and I really couldn't afford to piss off one of the high ranked people at the Foster children's office or the Sherriff of Tulsa. But I crept up the stairs anyway, Amanda was worth all the risks. I started to hear murmuring and the curiosity burned and I picked up my speed. I stayed on the top stair. Not wanting whoever was talking to know I was listening.

"I thought you were kidding." I cringed as Amanda sobbed. Who was kidding about what?

"Of course I wasn't, I couldn't get through to you and you were going crazy, I mean come on Mandy you were moaning for him in your sleep. You obviously needed him for much more than some stupid dream. Something happened to you today Mandy, and I will get to the bottom of it no matter what." Evie explained in a soothing voice, though worry bursted through the seams of the tone. Evie really loved her best friend, and you could just tell that she was absolutely screaming with worry even when you weren't looking at her.

"But he-he can't, he can't see me like this, I'm a mess, he'll think I'm uglier than I already am." My jaw dropped in utter shock. Her? Ugly? She was anything but that, trust me. It killed me not to say anything, and I probably would have if I hadn't remembered they didn't know I was here yet.

"Shush Amanda Charlotte Furtado." Evie snapped. You could feel the pain seeping from the room, but I didn't know why or who was sad.

"I'm sorry Amanda I really didn't mean to, I know your mom gave you that middle name, I didn't mean it bad, honest, and I'm just worried." I decided now was a good time to go into the room.

"Hi Amanda." I sputtered. She looked up and I saw her face was swollen from crying. Her voice was scratchy like she was losing it from screaming so much.

"Hello, you don't want to see me like this, I don't want you to see me like this…" she trailed off and put her head between her legs, only then making me realize she was only in a T shirt, I gulped hard and looked up at the china dolls that lined the wall, trying to undo seeing that. She was really vulnerable right now, and I really didn't want to… well you know have them hormones kick in. I looked back down at her and she whimpered something under her breath. I sat on the edge of the bed and shoved my hands in my pockets again, it was really becoming a habit. She sighed and then gulped her eyes darted around the room.

"Sodapop, will you please stay with me tonight, we can talk, I know you have work in the morning but I, I feel scared for myself, it, it really scared me, Soda today I was more scared of them then I ever was of my dad, and I feel safer with you then I ever have before, wrapped in your arms. I know I've been a real stress, but please. I know I am wishy washy but it's only because I care what you think of me." She said sounding shy. I moved to sit by her on the bed.

"Of course babe, I'd love to talk to you, I could talk to you forever, being with you is the best feeling life has to offer and you're not a stress and the whole wishy-washy thing is totally normal for what you have been through." I decided to open up since she had too. I brought her into me and she settled into my chest me lying on a pillow and her still on my chest.

"Let's talk about everything." She smiled up at me her long black eyelashes fluttered unintentionally. I ran my hand through her long brown hair.

"I'd love that." I squeezed her arm. And she nuzzled into me more. I was so content being with her and talking with her that I'd completely forgotten she was without pants. And I was glad that I had, hormones couldn't get in the way of tonight she needed me in no other way but emotionally. And I tried my best to give her all the emotion I had. And I have to say, talking to her all night was the best night I had ever spent in my whole life to this day.

I woke up the next morning with her still asleep, she wasn't swollen anymore and her eyes were especially beautiful closed. A smiled appeared on her face, her eyes still shut. She still looked fast asleep. Evie had said that she talked in her sleep so I decided to see where this went.

"Soda.." she giggled. I felt myself turn red. She continued to talk, and I certainly didn't want to wake her up now. She yawned and I shut my eyes so it didn't look like I was listening to her. I peeked and her eyes were still shut, so I decided it was safe to open mine.

"You're… Amazing." She breathed hard and clutched my side. I knew she wasn't faking sleeping, I just knew, but it was genuine all the same, the smile said it all. Then to my disappointment, her smile faded. It was replaced with a worried look. Worried and scared. Her breath quickened.

"Don't leave me! I… need you…please!" she yelped starting to thrash her body across the bed, flailing her arms. That was all for this sleep talking session. I stilled her and she opened her eyes wearily. She smiled brighter than ever, and it wasn't fake. She wrung her arms around my shoulders. She pressed her smooth lips to my forehead.

"Morning, I'm glad you stayed, last night wasn't the best and you made it all better, by talking to me I mean. Here come on I'll make you some pancakes downstairs, then you can head to work, hm?" I nodded happily and she ran a hand through her hair, grabbed my hand and led me down the stairs. She still wore her T shirt, I was surprised she felt comfortable in that around me in that, but I was also flattered, not that she had anything to worry about. She took out a bowl and a spatula. She then went into a pantry and started taking out ingredients for the breakfast, she went in the fridge to get stuff too. She smiled at me and started to hum as she stirred the mix. She had an amazing voice, and she didn't even seem like she was trying. She looked into my eyes. She ran a hand through my hair.

"Time stands still, beauty and oh, he is, I will be brave I will not let an evening take away, but standing in front of me… every breath, every hour has come to this, one step closer, I have died every day waiting for you, darling don't be afraid I have loved you for a thousand years I'll love you for a thousand more…" she reddened and looked back down at the mix. A hint of a smile raced across her face but was gone in a flash. I was awe struck, that was astounding, and my jaw hung open showing my shock. She shrugged and giggled.

"Yeah I know it's bad, but I can dream can't I?" I realized she had taken my shock the wrong way.

"No, no Amanda, that was amazing you have an awesome voice, where'd you get that song? It was good, I've never heard it." I asked smiling at her. She scratched the back of her neck bashfully and touched my fore arm then looked up at me.

"I kind of wrote it." She smiled and then went back to stirring her bowl. I took the bowl away from her and set it on the counter and I brought her body to mine.

"I'm crazy about you, I hope you know that." She giggled and went on her tip toes and gave me the most eager kiss she'd ever given me, she stuck her tongue in my mouth and I hoisted her onto the counter, kissing her all the while. She pulled away and chuckled and then dove back in. We had to have been passionately kissing for at least ten minutes, only pulling away see we could gaze at each other and catch our breath. I really don't know how much longer we would have been there for, if someone wouldn't have interjected.

"Ok can you take your tongue out of her throat so I can carry on a conversation with my best friend?" I heard Evie snap. I pulled away as fast as I could and pulled her off the counter and she stretched her shirt down to its maximum length. So it was more like a dress. She wrapped her arms around my stomach and I put her head against my chest, but so she still faced Evie.

"Morning Evie." She sighed happily. I felt a shoot of excitement go through my body, I was making her happy. I didn't care that Evie was standing there, I tipped her head up and gave her a quick kiss, but it was just as passionate as the last twenty minutes had been. She gave me a dazzling smile and looked back at Evie she had a smirk on her face and was making a hand gesture, I'd rather not describe. Amanda pulled away, grabbed the spatula out of the bowl and whipped batter at Evie. I didn't know whether Evie would think it was funny or be pissed or maybe even both. She wiped the dab on her forehead, she looked more annoyed then anything, she shot Amanda a glare, the first negative gesture I had seen between the two. Amanda shook her head in disbelief.

"You really think I'm that easy, 'cause I am definitely not." She screamed. Evie took a step forward and put a hand on Amanda's shoulder. She sighed and shook her head, as if surrendering.

"I know you're not." I wished I would have saved myself. And I kind of wondered if she had. I had lost my virginity to Sandy, you know how that story goes. I wasn't like the other guys I'd planned on saving myself for the person I was going to marry. She'd been pressuring me for months, but I never did until I thought I'd been in love with her. So I lost my virginity to someone who didn't even care about the way I did them. That didn't seem too fair to me, but I had gotten over it mostly by then. After hearing Amanda was a virgin, but I had already guessed that before, she was a really wholesome girl who wouldn't settle for a scummy first time, and who could blame her? I was gonna back off, I wouldn't be like Steve and Two-Bit, she deserved better than that, I mean loved them like brothers, but come on.

"Whatever Evie I didn't do it with him, believe it or not, just because you're in a bedroom with a boy, doesn't mean that it happens." Amanda rolled her eyes and Evie did the same. I rubbed Amanda's back and she went back to stirring the batter.

"I'm making pancakes if you want some Evie." She stated monotony. Evie nodded and went upstairs to what I assumed was to clean the raw pancake off of her. I wrapped my arms around her waist as she faced the stove. Evie bounded into the room and smiled, a newly changed outfit. And a new attitude.

"You guys are so cute together, I love it." Evie cried. I pecked the top of Amanda's head and she just kept right on baking. Evie sighed and then her eyes lit up as if she was a little kid at the Tulsa fair and she'd laid her eyes on the cotton candy.

"Oh Amanda, you know what want you to do…" she said slyly. Amanda rolled her eyes. And giggled under her breath. I didn't know what it meant but I decided to go with it.

"Don't you always…" she sighed, pretending to be annoyed. "Someday my prince will come. Someday when spring is here, we'll find our loved one and how thrilling that moment will be…" she stopped and laughed. I knew that song! Two-Bit's little sister watched Snow White all the time.

"Snow White!" I accidentally exclaimed out loud. Evie tittered and Amanda turned from the oven and smiled at me. I shrugged. That was definitely not gonna go in the macho section of her notes about me, if she even had one.

"Someday my Prince will come from Snow White!" she breathed happily still looking at me. I gulped and decided to take a chance.

"Will you be my Snow White?" I asked. She wrung her hands around my neck. She bit her lip and messed with my hair.

"Only if you'll be my Prince Charming." She said playfully. She didn't even need to ask. I smiled down at her and caressed her chin.

"I couldn't think of anything I'd want more." I sighed. I leaned down and kissed her and I seemed to forget it all and I got lost in her beautiful, her beautiful everything.

"Hey Snow White your pancakes are burning." Evie laughed. She practically choked on our kiss and turned around. To save her precious pancakes. I laughed and she bit the inside of her cheek nervously, causing me to shut up. Evie tapped us both.

"I swear is there a time when you love birds aren't kissing?" Evie shook her head with a smile. I looked at Amanda who was already looking at me. We both shrugged. Evie was right but it wasn't her and Steve's idea of kissing.

"Not really." We said in unison. We laughed and I rewrapped my arms around her waist while she tried to save the pancakes.

After breakfast I waited on the couch for her to get changed and ready to go, we were both two hours late for our nine o'clock shifts that we'd forgotten about. My boss Dave is a hard ass but tardy is something he lets slide for me since he knew about my family situation. I'd hoped he'd let two hours slide. I really needed this job.

"Ok Sodapop, I just talked to Anna over the phone, she was obviously wondering where I was. And she said she'd come pick me up and take me to work so you can work faster." She smiled, pulling her jeans up. I shook my head vigorously. And her nose scrunched up. I thought it was sexy when she scrunched it all up like that.

"Really, I can take you, I want to take you." I said. She laughed under her breath about something and came and stood in front of me, I still was in my spot of the couch.

"That's good because I already said no." she bit her lip and started to play with her fingers, as if ashamed. Without thinking I brought her onto my lap, she was tensed. I immediately, but lightly pushed her off of me. She turned around and gave me a pouty face, and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I wasn't done sitting there." She rolled her eyes, exaggerating her irritation. I smiled and she straitened her shirt.

"Well, well then, it's still available." I flirted with her. She plopped her little body down on my lap. She was hot, even if she didn't think so, she was definitely prettier than Evie, not that I'd ever tell Evie herself that. And definitely not Steve. I thought it was obvious that she was the prettiest girl alive. She was perfect height and had a good length on her hair. I always never thought I was to be so lucky as to spend every night talking to this amazing girl, amazing woman every single night, just like that very night had gone down. Even if I did have sneak through her window to stay the night with her, again not the way Evie and Steve thought staying the night with your girlfriend would be. She told me everything, we talked about the most random stuff, but it always seemed interesting, probably because it was about her. I loved learning new things about her. She still hadn't been to my house. And I wasn't going to pressure her into it, although the gang really wanted to get to know her better, especially Darry, but that was mostly because he wanted to know who I was spending all my free time with. She was everything that my past girlfriends weren't. And if you couldn't put two and two together, that was a mighty good thing.

That next month….

"Ok I really have to go." Amanda said breathlessly. We were in my car in front of Evie's house, she was past the curfew her new parents had set for her, I'd made her late by roping her into staying in the car to kiss for a few more minutes, which had of course turned into an hour. I sighed and slumped down in the driver's seat. I didn't want her to leave, even though I'd see her in ten minutes when she pulled me through her window so we could do our usual talking all night sessions.

"Do you have to?" I whined like a five year old. She laughed, nodded, then gave me a sloppy '_See you in a few'_ kiss and slid out of the truck. Her tight black skirt went up as she did. I couldn't help but look. She straightened it down and gave me a glare, a smirk to follow just a second later.

"I saw that Mr. Curtis." She said Mr. Curtis when she flirted usually. I laughed and gave her a devilish smile. She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, shaking her head disapprovingly. Giving me a small wave, she darted for the front door. Evie's house had a big front window with no curtains for whatever reason, so you could see the gist of what was going on in the room. She walked in and annoyed sheriff Montgomery shook his head, disappointed in Amanda. She went into an excuse filled session of babbling, I knew her well enough to know that was exactly what she was doing. He sighed and looked out the window. I looked away quickly, but I knew they saw me. Soon enough Amanda knocked on the car window, I opened the door and got out to talk to her.

"Yes Amanda?" I semi flirted. She breathed a laugh but quickly brushed it off. She picked at her thumb nail, which she only did when she was nervous. I tilted her chin up so she made eye contact with me. She huffed and looked around nervously.

"It's Uncle Jim, h-he wants to meet you, like-like alone." Her eyes widened in terror at her own words. My palms started to sweat, she really did have a reason to be nervous, I rubbed the back of my neck nervously, she gazed up at me, pleading in her eyes.

"Let's do this thing Mandy." I squeezed her hand. She squealed with delight, she kissed my cheek and led me up to the door, still holding my hand. We reached the porch. She squeezed my hand once more and I followed her into the house she told me to take a seat in the living room and I watched as she ran up the stairs.

"Hello son." A gruff voice growled, I looked up to see Sheriff, he was loading a gun and setting it to the side, where it rested on the side of the rocking chair he'd been sitting in. He got up and changed his seating area to the couch, he pointed to the seat next to him and I immediately did so. He crossed his arms over his chest.

"So, Sodapop is it, my name is Jim, but you're not allowed to call me that, its sheriff for now." His eyes narrowed. I gulped hard. And he looked at me as if expecting an answer. I just nodded, not wanting to risk saying the wrong thing.

"Now Amanda's something else aint she?" he chuckled, seeming like he was going to soften up. I smiled as I thought about her.

"She really is Ji- I mean sheriff." He smoothed his mustache and put his head between his hands.

"Yeah so, Sodapop, you only get two questions. But they ain't gonna be easy." I nodded and he continued. "Number one, where is Amanda on your priority list?" he wasn't kidding, these were going to be hard. I made sure to keep a straight face. I didn't want to risk him not liking me in any way.

"She-she's my… Everything sir." I mumbled. Sheriff nodded as if saying the answer was good enough for him.

"Do you see a future with her, because if you don't you best not break my little girl's heart, or trust me you will be so sorry you can't see straight." My eyes bulged, I had never really thought about our future surprisingly. But now that I did, I knew from the beginning I didn't want to lose her. And the more I thought the more I realized I'd love to be married to a girl like Amanda, to her.

"Yes sir, definitely, I would never hurt your um…" I struggled for a word, I didn't want to call her his daughter that might make things awkward, so I decided not to say anything and let him fill in the blank. He gestured for me to just continue.

"I'd never hurt her, I really wouldn't, I think I'm in with love her." I practically mouthed, it was a lower tone then the night Amanda's dad died. The rest of the conversation went really fast and he quickly told me to leave and have a safe trip home, little did he know, I'd be back in his house any minute.

"They'll hear us!" Amanda giggled as I tickled her all over her body, but I kept on going, the parent's bedroom was downstairs, I knew when it would be time to stop. I shushed her and kissed her on the cheek to make sure she'd be quiet. And then I realized she was wearing a V neck and I won't lie, her um… breasts were huge. Not meaning to, I stopped and stared. Without a word she got up and put her arms over them, a mix of embarrassment and anger flooded her face. She sat on the leather two-person Sofa to the side of the room and stretched out purposefully so I couldn't sit by her, but that didn't stop me I sat across from her on the floor, she shook her head and faced the way so she didn't have to look at me. I felt guiltier than ever before.

"Look I'm really sorry about this, can you ever forgive me?" I asked, how could I have been such a pig? Amanda had trusted me, to touch her body after explaining her rules and limits, and one of those rules was if I was going to cuddle with her every night, I would have nothing to do with parts she marked off limits, and she'd stressed this part of her body, no touching no talking about and no _looking _at her boobs, well at least while we were together, like this, supposed to be talking or sleeping, and I'd broken her trust. She got up so she was tightly sitting in the corner of the couch, bringing her knees to her chest and hugging them.

"Sure why not? You just showed me your like every other guy in Tulsa, and you know what they all have in common, they want one thing and one thing only, and no matter how much they care about a girl, they can't just.. They can't just leave it alone. So just go home." She huffed. Her voice never got annoyed, she always sounded happy, even when she wasn't. I tried to rest my hand on her leg but she wacked it away, she was really mad. I racked my mind for something to say, I wasn't going to be like the other guys for her. I wasn't going to leave.

"I'm going to wait for you Amanda, but I'm only human, and I'm a boy, I truly can't help it, but I'm doing the best I can, it's not my fault you're so beautiful." She blushed and slid off the couch and onto my lap, I pressed her head against my chest and she squeezed my arm.

"You're definitely not the other boys in Tulsa Sodapop, I'm sorry. At least you are willing to wait for me." She kissed my cheek, then put her head back on my chest. I rubbed her lower waist. She looked as if she were debating to do something in her mind I nudged her so she'd tell me what was up.

"I did something for you Sodapop, and I really don't know whether I should show you, and I definitely shouldn't be doing it in the middle of the night, but I really want to." I pressed to know what was going on until she finally blurted what was going on. And what _was_ going on, left me speechless.

"I have a book of songs that I have written and played on the guitar, I mean if you don't want to hear that's fine too, but I'm offering to show you them Soda to show how much I care about you, I mean I have never shown them to anyone Soda, not even Evie." I was taken aback. I was in love with this amazing girl, I didn't think I was, I _knew_ I was. But I wanted to tell her that I loved her in a special way. Then it hit me.

Four nights before (Start)

"Truth or dare Amanda Charlotte." I smiled as I ran my hand up and down her back, I got nervous when I felt my other hand brush against her butt accidentally, she didn't notice and I moved it immediately before she did. She moved and sat on my chest, she caressed the shape of my lips. I knew she was just trying to be playful, but she had no idea how much it was killing me, and not because of her weight.

"Truth." She said, leaning forward and breathing the word on my lips. I gulped hard. My question was really deep and I kind of felt bad for asking it. She rolled off and gazed out the curtain less window and sighed. I took her hand and she squeezed it.

"Have you ever told a boy you loved them." I asked. As soon as I did, I regretted it. I didn't want to make her feel bad or anything if she hadn't. And if you want me to be honest, I kind of wanted to be her first love, which I know seems selfish, because she couldn't be, mine but still.

"Ok, please don't judge me Soda." She quivered. I pulled her closer to me and rested a hand on the small of her back. She sighed in a_ here goes nothing_ kind of way.

"I'm a virgin and I have never actually told a boy that I loved him." she said, running her words together. I couldn't judge her for that. I lightly traced the shape of her face, and started to kiss her all over that beautiful face.

"I could never judge you babe." I said between kisses. She smiled a moment and I rolled her over onto her back, she gave me a warning look and I backed off so she could choose how she felt most comfortable. I didn't want to pressure her into anything. It was all up to her. She glanced at the wall clock, you could just make out the numbers on it from the moon light that shown through the window, it was four AM already. She took a deep breath and yawned. And for the first time ever she pressed her buttery lips to the top of my chest.

"I'm gonna go to bed baby." She sighed, turning to face the other side of the room. I tapped her shoulder and she hazily looked over at me. I gulped as I prepared to ask the question. I was nervous as hell.

"If someone told you they were in love with you, how would you want them to say it?" I asked. She took a heavy breath and grabbed my hand lightly. She tapped her chin with her other hand's pointer finger. And smiled as she thought.

"Well, Soda, I would want them to write me a song about their love for me, to show that they really do love Me. Now good night Soda." She kissed my cheek and instead of turning to face the other way, buried her head and cuddled into my chest.

Four Nights Before (End)

That was it. I could write her a song, she'd been teaching me how to play the guitar, I could probably learn to do something simple and sweet for her, but I would have to take her guitar without her knowing, which I probably wouldn't have trouble doing, I'd gotten a few tips from Two-Bit on shop lifting, but unlike Two, I would be returning the item. I kissed her head and nodded excitedly, how did she feel about us? I gulped hard hoping she felt the same way as I did. She grabbed her guitar out of the corner of the bedroom and a small, brown, leathery book. She opened it to about the middle and sighed.

"I w-wrote th-this about us." She sputtered, not looking me in the eye. I lifted her light body easily and set her back on my lap. Wrapping my arms around her skinny waist. She blushed and bit her lip.

"Soda…" she giggled. I pressed my lips to her neck for the first time. She pushed me onto my back and laid on top of me. I gazed at her wondering how I was so lucky to have a girl as wonderful as her.


	5. Chapter 5

Amanda's POV

I woke up the next morning laying in Soda's chest. He was raking his fingers through my hair and staring at me admiringly. I couldn't take it, his beautiful brown eyes gleamed in the morning sun that shown through the window. I forced myself on top of him and overpoweringly kissed him good morning. He pulled away with a shocked look. I sat up, slinked off of him, and bit my lip, embarrassed with my actions.

"Well good morning to you too." He smirked. I scratched my head. What did he think of that? Was it too desperate seeming? But the thing I was most worried about was the fact that he could take this the wrong way and think I was softening up on the certain subject…

"Sorry." I sighed, stretching to get up. But he pushed me back down onto the pillow. But not too hard. He smiled and rested the top part of his body on my stomach and brushed my side bangs out of my eyes and smiled.

"Not a problem beautiful." He brought me back and attacked my face with his irresistible kisses. I giggled his name a little too loud and something we had avoided every day for a month happened. A knock came to the bedroom door. We tightened our grips around each other and stifled laughs. "Amanda what's going on?" my eyes protruded with worry. I looked over at Soda who was mouthing '_What do we do'_ worriedly. I took his hand and tip toed across the, thankfully carpeted floor and shoved him into the walk in closet and closed it lightly.

"I'm fine Aunt Sally." I said my voice cracking, as I said it I slipped on Soda's sneaker. And fell on my butt, I went into an eruption of laughter at my clumsiness. "Alright, just so you know breakfast is ready." She said skeptically. I knew she wasn't buying it. But oh well she wouldn't press to know what was happening, she was too sweet to do that.

"Can Sodapop come for breakfast?" I asked as if he wasn't in the closet, I heard a muffled snicker and I kicked the door to get him to shut up. Absolute silence. I smiled at the door as if he could see.

"Sodapop this, Sodapop that. Soda is my everything, Sodapop _is _everything, I miss Sodapop, can I go see Sodapop, I'm falling hard for Sodapop…" she could have gone on for a lot longer, for how much I talked about him. I turned red, knowing Soda was right there when Sally was ranting about how I felt about him. I mean, it wasn't her fault, I wasn't even supposed to have him in here, she didn't know she was saying it in front of him. So I guess it was my fault.

"Ok, ok I get it Sally, I'll be there in a minute, Soda should be here in a minute, he was already going to come pick me up to hang out." I was getting better and better at lying. She said to be down stairs in five and left. I stood there for a minute, wondering how many excuses I could make up before Jim and Sally caught on. I could tell Uncle Jim was getting more and more suspicious but wouldn't dare accuse me of doing wrong, most of the time, he treated me as he did Evie. And that was a perfect Angel that could do no wrong. Even if he did catch Soda and I, he'd find a way to blame it all on Sodapop, there was no doubt about that.

"You're falling hard for me huh?" I heard Soda say from behind me. My cheeks heated up, I didn't think it was going to be this embarrassing. But it was. My shoulders started to shake. He placed his hands on them to make them be still.

"Don't worry, I'm falling just as hard." He said kissing the top of my head. I rubbed my cheek against his hand that still rested on my shoulder. I smiled, it was good to know his feelings were as strong as mine were.

"Now what was the song you were you going to show me last night, we got a little… what's the word, distracted?" He snickered, resting his chin on my shoulder and wrapping his arms around my waist from the back. His breath on my neck made me giggle. I nudged him lightly. And shook my head.

"We didn't do anything Soda, I kissed you a couple times." I quipped. He arched an eyebrow and brought me closer in one swift motion. And shook his head as if I was getting it all wrong.

"Don't go watering it down now, I felt tongue." He laughed. I rolled my eyes. Like it mattered all that much. He shook his head and ran his finger across my eyelashes that he raved about all the time.

"Whatever Soda, I should go down stairs, you can come straight over, and they already know you're coming. And you have to wait till tonight for the song." I smiled at him. He lifted me off the ground for a kiss.

"Got it gorgeous." He said after pulling away. I flushed and he walked over to the window. I waited until he hopped out the window in case one of the parents was walking down the hall. I saw a disapproving Evie standing right in the door way. I jumped back.

"Every night, really Mandy?" She said in a harsh voice. I gave her an unserious glare and she hit my arm lightly. I shut the light off and stood in the hall with her.

"You're just mad you didn't think of it first." Without another word we went downstairs to the usual Saturday breakfast. Sally made everything breakfast related in the kitchen and we got to choose what we wanted to ate. I usually just ate a little of everything. Sally was a great cook. No sooner than when I reached the bottom of the stairs did I hear a knock at the door.

"I'll get it!" I yelped as Jim walked in to answer it. I swung the door open and saw my Soda standing there. I grabbed his hand and yanked him inside. His face had a flabbergasted expression on it.

"Hey babe." I said awkwardly, just then, I noticed that Jim was still standing there. He watched us skeptically. Looking from me to Soda. Sodapop nodded a hello and Uncle Jim nodded in return. Evie went and stood by her dad and gave me a sympathetic look. I just shrugged.

"Permission to embrace sir?" Soda asked like a gentleman. I muted a soft laugh, and Jim cracked a smile. He playfully patted Sodapop on the back. And messed with his hair.

"Permission granted son! Evie why can't Steven be more like this?" his tone harshened. Evie shrugged and I collapsed into his arms. Happier than ever. Uncle Jim liked My Sodapop.

"He likes you more than Steve." I quietly snorted. Soda shrugged and I could tell he had come up with some wise crack.

"I guess I'm just likable." He said as I pulled away from our hug, definitely not wanting to, but if Soda held me for too long, he could go right back where he was before or worse, where Steve was at. I grabbed his hand and I led him into the dining room and sat him next to me.

"I'm going to get changed." I said sliding out of my seat. I watched him watch me walk up the stairs, he was always checking me out like I didn't notice, I couldn't help but laugh to myself. I walked into my bedroom and grabbed a pair of shorts from Evie, a little slutty? Yes. One of the only things I owned? That too. I slipped on a white tank top and Soda's button up DX shirt, which I made into a cute half shirt by tying it in a knot in the front. I ran a brush through my hair before going back down stairs. I walked back down the stairs and Sodapop was carrying on a not so interesting conversation about cars to Jim, probably taking the compliment I guess you would call it and running with it, to get him to take an even bigger liking to him. But come on, no one could stay mad at Soda or not like him.

"Just in time Mandy, this boy knows his stuff." Uncle Jim smiled at him from across the table. I slid back into the seat next to him and he set his hand on my lower leg. I smiled at both of them and put some eggs and a piece of toast on my plate and squirted some ketchup on my plate. Evie got a sour look on her face like she usually did.

"That's so gross." She scoffed with a smile, it was kind of an inside joke between us ever since we were little. I shrugged and Sodapop grabbed the bottle of ketchup too. Squirting too much and smiled at me. I touched his hand that still resting on my leg. I took one bite of my toast and shoveled a scoop of the scrambled eggs into my mouth, not even using my ketchup. And scooted my chair out.

"I'm done!" I screamed, my mouth still full of egg, running toward the door before anyone could tell me I needed to eat more or something. I didn't even grab Soda's hand or anything.

"It was nice talking to you sir." I heard Soda say to Jim and I heard him scramble after me even when I was outside. I turn around to see him running at me with a confused look on his face. I just smirked and opened his passenger door. And he got in on the other side, still looking confused.

"What was that?" he asked, I knew he would be excited when I told him what I wanted to do, He had been wanting to do this for a long time, he'd just left it alone because he knew I didn't feel comfortable doing it yet, but I was ready now.

"I want to meet your family." I said a bit shyly. He looked at me for a minute, a utterly non descripted look on his face, but it soon turned excited. He squeezed my hand.

"Are-are you s-serious?" he said. Seeming so happy that he could barely talk. I nodded with a half-smile and he quickly brushed his lips against mine before taking off into the road. His driving showed his excitement, he was going ten miles over the limit and had a fearless look on his face. I looked out the window and rolled it down, the wind was blowing my hair at an extreme speed, but I didn't care I let the sun hit my face and neck. It felt so good, I can't even tell you. I rolled the window back up and pushed my now tangled hair out of my face with my right hand. And looked over to see Sodapop staring at me.

"What are you staring at?" I said, grinning at him. He looked back on the road for a second and then looked back at me right away, who'd obviously still been staring. He outlined my chin with his left hand.

"What? Can't a boy stare at his girlfriend who just so happens to be the most beautiful girl in the world? Plus you looked hot with your hair like that." I blushed and smiled at him. He really was sweet. And he was the best boyfriend in the world, sorry Steve. I couldn't go ten minutes without thinking about him. He was the best thing that had ever happened to me.

"How would you know? You don't know all the girls in the world." I said, just to be able to continue the playful conversation, I couldn't think of anything else to say.

"It aint that hard to see." He whispered, his eyes now back on the road. We pulled to the side of a street that was definitely greaser territory. But I didn't mind, after all I was technically a greaser. But I never really paid much attention to my status. I didn't wear much make up, I never used to until I met Soda, but even then I just wore cover up. Which he would always tell me I didn't need but I couldn't tell if he meant it or just saw a reason to compliment me. He got out first and came around to open my door for me. I hopped out and we started to walk up to the porch and we stood there for a minute and I gulped. If his group of friends didn't like me, it could change our relationship for the worst.

"I hope they like me." I sighed. He took my hand that he had been holding since we exited the car and kissed it.

"They will, trust me, you've opened up more, which the gang will like, especially Two-Bit, they've been wantin' to meet you but I didn't pressure you." He said awkwardly. I gave him a kiss on the cheek and he smiled before opening the door to his home that I finally got the balls to come back to. He still held my hand. I walked in to see a boy sitting in front of a small TV watching the Mickey Mouse cartoon known as 'Steam boat Willy'.

"Oh I love Mickey Mouse! Can we stay and watch babe?" I asked Soda, not taking my eyes off the TV. The boy that I then remembered as Two-Bit turned from the TV and looked at me, his eyes lit up.

"Oh shit…. Another Mickey lover, come sit guys!" he looked at me as if I was the last human besides himself on this earth. Soda didn't say anything and led me to sit by Two-Bit. He sat down and plopped me onto his lap.

"We've met before, but I'm Two-Bit Matthews." He looked over at me, sticking out his hand in introduction, I shook it and smiled at him.

"Amanda Furtado, pleasure." I let go of his hand and snuggle into Soda more. Soda in return kissed the top of my head.

"Hey Amanda, I like how you're not so shy anymore, I think you'll be a great edition to the gang!" Two-Bit nudged me, I arched an eyebrow and then smiled. This would be fun, they were probably decent guys, and we'd just gotten off on the wrong foot. The least I could do was give them a chance.

"You guys would really want me around?" I asked. I wouldn't really mind, I mean I couldn't drag Soda away from his family, his parents were gone and these boys were all he had for family ever since, I couldn't take that away from him.

"Yep! I'm so sweet aren't I? I deserve a kiss." I smiled and shook my head at him. Only to then peck him on the cheek. He hopped off the ground got a huge smile on his face. Running out of the room. He beat on him chest like he was Tarzan or something. My nose scrunched up, honestly weirded out. Soda laughed under his breath.

"What was that?" I asked him. He obviously knew his friends better than I did. But all he did was shrug and smirk, I knew he had something up his sleeve.

"You never know with Two-Bit, but I know what this is." He pinned me on the ground and gave me a kiss on the lips. Then one on my neck. I squealed with delight and shoved him off of me, resting my head in his lap.

"Come on I want you to meet the rest." He jumped up, yanking me up with him. I smoothed my hair down, he wrapped his arm around my waist and walked into the kitchen.

"Darry this is Amanda." Soda exclaimed as if I were some prize to be won. He looked up from his paper and nodded, he scooted out of the seat and stood a good four feet away from me, observing me like a friggin animal exhibit.

"Hello Darry." I said slowly. I knew he probably just didn't want to scare me like he did the last time. So I out my hand out for him to shake. That's when he cracked a smile. He gave my hand a firm shake and then smirked at Soda.

"You were right she is a doll." I smiled at Soda who was reddening, which made me laugh out loud. Two-Bit walked into the room and started to laugh. I just shrugged it off, he seemed like the kind of guy who would find any reason to laugh.

"Soda was right, she's got herself a pair." I knew what he was referring to and my cheeks started to heat up and I bit my lip with embarrassment. Crossing my arms over my chest in modesty, I looked over at Sodapop who was shaking his head vigorously.

"I _did not_ say that, I swear." I didn't think he did in the first place. He wouldn't do that to me just like he would never cheat on me. I told him it was fine, but he still looked sorry. He shot Two-Bit a death stare and Two-bit just shrugged. I guess it didn't bother me that much. I mean it was considered a compliment… I mean to guys…

"What the hell is she doing here?" I heard someone snap, it was a boy I remembered as Soda's younger brother Pony. Everyone stared at him, apparently I wasn't the only one surprised by what he said.

"What did she ever do to you?" I could barely make Two-Bit's words out, his face was so full of cake. Ponyboy stormed out of the room without another word. I looked at Soda and walked after Ponyboy, not saying anything to any of them. I knocked on the door that I had watched him slam seconds before.

"Come in." he huffed, sounding annoyed, I sighed harder this time. And walked into the room. He rolled his eyes when he saw me. I felt bad. He didn't want me in here clearly, but I didn't want to have a bad relationship with my boyfriend's brother, so I sat on the edge of the bed.

"Ponyboy, I know why you're mad at me." I said. He threw his book across the room and stared blankly at me. He glowered at me.

"You're brother's been hurt badly when it comes to relationships and you don't want him to get hurt again, I wouldn't hurt your brother, if you want me to be honest, I might be in love with him, but I don't know, cause I've never felt it before, but I'm pretty sure this is it. Oh and also I think your having girl troubles." I said, he seemed more comfortable now that I had opened up about my feelings for his brother, and when I mentioned girl troubles, he turned redder than red, that's how I knew there was a girl in his life.

"Want to talk about it?" I asked. He looked uncertain for a moment, then looked like he was considering it. He debated in his mind for a moment, then looked me in the eye.

"I don't know you that well." He stuttered. That let me know, don't ask me how, that the girl didn't know his feelings. I laughed to myself.

"That makes it even better, I just met the boys, and I already know they'd tease you, but Soda… you know you can tell Sodapop anything, so just tell me Pony I'd really like to help." I sighed. He looked at me and shrugged, as if finding logic in what I had said. He took a deep breath and rubbed his eyes with his palms.

"Her name is Dani. I have her in Bio and she's my partner." He bit his lip, obviously trying to contain a smile by just thinking about her. It reminded me of myself when I thought of Soda. He went on and on about how pretty she was and how smart and funny. He really wouldn't stop talking about her until I made him.

"Ok then ask her out." I said but he shook his head and gave me the craziest look I have ever seen. He shook he head.

"I can't just be in a relationship with a beautiful girl, I mean I know my brother did it with you but I mean come on, get real." He looked at his hands, out of all that, I got that he called me beautiful.

"Gee thank you Ponyboy." I smiled. He nodded and sat up a little, like he was really ready to talk to me and cleared his throat as if telling me to listen up, and this was important.

"You're one of those girls who doesn't see their beauty, cause no one's really been there to tell you. And when someone was, he was your boyfriend and you thought he was just saying it to say it. But you gotta know that you really are. I mean I know your father probably said horrible things to you, but they aint true." He said rubbing the back of his neck and reopening his book. Man, this kid was always reading.

"You're really smart, ya know that?" I said, getting up off his and Sodapop's bed, Soda had told me they shared a bed only because Pony had had nightmares after their parents died, so Soda was there to calm him down when Pony would wake up screaming from the dream. Which made me feel bad for taking Soda away every night for the past month, but Sodapop had insisted it was fine and that they just hadn't gotten around to taking Pony's old mattress out of the cellar yet. Pony hadn't had the dreams for a long time. I just said ok and we moved on.

"Heard that once or twice." He smirked. I got up and walked out the door. When I got back into the kitchen, everyone was murmuring about Pony's outburst and Evie and Steve had showed up, Steve's arm was around Evie and they were leaning up against the kitchen sink. They looked confused on what was going on so they really must have just gotten here.

"How'd it go?" Soda whispered. He wrapped his arms around me from behind and I set my hand on his arm.

"Really well actually, he's just having girl troubles and doesn't want to see you hurt again. Don't tell the boys about the girl, he wants to keep it a secret." I smiled, turning around. He smiled his signature smile that still made me go weak in the knees. He brought me close and kissed me lightly. When our lips touched, I completely forgot about the other boys being there.

"Thank you for talking to him beautiful." He smiled, yet again. A smile almost never left his face, which I absolutely adored. He pushed our lips together once more and I smiled through the kiss. After a few minutes we started to full on make out, not noticing that the gang was staring. We pulled away and I noticed Steve and Evie watching us, blank stares, as I scanned the kitchen, that's what the rest of the boys were doing too.

"Ok next time you two need to get a room." Two-Bit remarked before taking a swig of his beer. I pulled away quickly, kind of embarrassed but I found it funny mostly. Evie smirked at me and I just rolled my eyes as Soda kissed me on the cheek.

"We're back!" I heard a female voice call from the front door. I knew it was Bella, she walked into the kitchen scanned the room and when she saw me raced over and gave me a tight squeeze as if I were a close friend. Dallas was on her hip crying, I couldn't stand it when kids cried. It reminded me of when I was a kid.

"I'm really sorry about what's going on with Dallas." I whispered, not wanting to make his crying worse, that ought to be a fun lullaby every night. I looked up to see Bella staring at Dallas, I hadn't noticed, but Dallas wasn't crying anymore. He was just staring at me curiously. I looked at Sodapop who smiled at me and nodded toward Bella and Dallas, when I looked back, I saw Bella holding Dallas out towards me, when she saw me facing them again she shoved him into my chest, I wrapped my arms around the little baby and bounced him on my leg, still standing up. He started to giggle and I smiled at the baby. Soda moved to be right next of me and slung his arm over my shoulders. I took Dallas off my knee and held him regularly swaying him from left to right lightly.

"Hi Dallas." Sodapop cooed giving his pointer finger to him, Dallas snatched it up and started to gurgle with happiness. I kissed Dallas' forehead and rested my head on Soda's shoulder. I looked up to see Bella looking kind of sad, I hadn't meant to hurt her feelings

"D-Do you want him back?" I asked, trying to make her feel better. I didn't like it much when anyone seemed down really. She shook her head slowly and looked at the floor, I clearly was going to have to press to get to the core reason to why she was sad. And I couldn't just leave it like that.

"What is it Bella?" I asked, Bella looked up and a tear silently slid down her cheek. She looked up at me who was scanning the kitchen by the looks on these boys' faces, they weren't used to seeing her cry, and that didn't seem so far-fetched to me. She was a tough looking chick, she could definitely rumble if she wanted to, and win for that matter, like I said before, she was a short thing, but that didn't stand in her way.

"It-It's just, seeing you and Soda, happy and with Dallas… it kind of makes me think what might have been between me and Johnny, what would've been." She gulped and tears streamed now, then pouring, all the boys seemed uncomfortable, they may have been tough boys, but they seemed respectable too. And no respectable boy wants to see a girl cry.

"We miss him too Bells." Darry said almost stiffly, but if you looked deep into his icy blue eyes, you could see him willing himself not to cry. Darry seemed to be the one who held things together with the gang, so he probably didn't want to let himself go in front of the other boys. He was the adult. He had to hold it together for them, and that was a very courageous thing.

"Hey Amanda, what do ya say, will you come to get groceries with me?" she asked, wiping her eyes. I nodded and handed Dallas to Sodapop, I kissed him on the cheek. And he nodded for me to go.

"I'll be back babe." I whispered. He smiled and I walked out with Bella, Dallas wrapped in Soda's arms.

We got into the Curtis' truck and Bella banged her head against the steering wheel. And let out a sharp scream, making me cover my ears. Then all of a sudden, she burst into tears, crying and crying and crying. I didn't know what to do, I really didn't. So I took a risk and set my hand on her shoulder.

"Do you want to talk about it Bella?" I asked. She looked up at me with a blank expression that turned into a decent smile for a moment. She nodded solemnly. I bit my lip as she talked about Johnny, they_ had_ been in love. It made me sick that someone could lose love in an instant. Gone. Never coming back. Thinking about Dallas made it worse, Johnny would have been there for Dallas, unlike my mom who made the choice to leave with my older sister. He wouldn't see his own son graduate from high school, let alone take his first steps. It just plain sucked. And Bella… she wouldn't get a honeymoon or a twentieth anniversary. It got more horrible the more you thought about it. But then it hit me. I'd write her a song about her and Johnny, my guess was that she'd never gotten to act out or get closure with Johnny. I chewed on the insider of my cheek as the words started to flow, but none were clicking.

"But…" Bella trailed after a long period of silence and popping me out of my daze.

"I can't say I wish I never met him, I mean my parents hated him for being a Grease, and that's part of the reason I don't talk to them anymore. It's ignorance, you know that Amanda? I never knew people could have so much hate for someone they didn't know… I mean I think if I never knew him, if I never felt that love…" She pulled her knees to her chest and wailed with tears pooing again. And that's when the perfect lyrics started to flow, it'd be a duet and all for Bella. She deserved it, she deserved Johnny, and she deserved a complete family. Why was life so unfair? And from that moment on, I knew I was in love with Sodapop Patrick Curtis, and sooner or later I had to tell him, cause after taking a look at Bella, you could lose it all in an instance. If a good time didn't come up soon, I would tell him right before his trial. Oh shit, his trial was in three fucking days. Three days? How could I have forgotten about a TRIAL? Wake up and smell the coffee Amanda! Heaven doesn't last forever. But Jim was sure that Soda would do fine. And so was the officer who had interviewed us the night of my father's death. But it was nerve wrecking.

"We can go to the store another time hon, we don't really need groceries, I'm surprised Darry didn't tell me otherwise, I just wanted to vent to a girl." Her lip quivered as she held back more tears. She opened the car door and slammed it, hard. Letting me know she was back to her old self. I thought and then got out. Bella was already at the door, sniffling a few more times and holding the door open for me. I gave her one last sympathetic look, Bella nodded as if saying she was cool. We walked back in to see the gang, even Darry, gathered around Sodapop who seemed to be writing something down. When the boys heard the door slam, the whipped around and Two-Bit started in on me, obviously trying to distract me from whatever Soda was doing, which made me want to know all the more.

"Two-Bit, seriously what's up?" I said in my most stern voice, I wasn't a yeller. I couldn't carry on a totally firm argument, my voice got all high pitched and crap.

"The ceiling." Two-Bit shrugged. I looked at past Two-Bit who was trying to block my view of Soda. He grabbed the composition book he'd been writing in and gave it to Steve who made a run for it. I hadn't noticed until now, but Evie had been standing there too, she looked up at me but quickly looked away. What was everyone hiding? My best friend didn't even seem open to me. something big had to be up. I looked around the room awkwardly. Soda caught my eye and surprisingly didn't look away, I kept my eyes on him and he began to speak.

"Look Mandy, I know that was really weird." He said, he looked like he was trying to come up with every excuse he could, it should have given me an uneasy feeling. But it didn't. I trusted him. But no matter how much I trusted Soda, there was no doubt that what just happened was fishy. I nodded forcefully.

"But, you gotta trust me babe, please, please Amanda trust me." his eyes were absolutely pleading. Maybe Sandy and Samantha had been suspicious. Which I found really hypocritical, but oh well. All I knew, was that he was desperate for me to believe him. the boys had dispersed among the living room, not hovering over Sodapop anymore.

"I believe you Soda." I said nonchalantly with a genuine smile. He perked up and patted his lap for me to sit. I sat as lightly as possible, I knew I had a bony butt. He lced our fingers together with both hands.

"Why'd you believe me?" he asked, seemingly truly curious. I smiled and took a deep breath and let it out swiftly.

"You've never given me a reason not to trust you, and I don't expect you to, but until you do, I take your word." I explained. He turned my face and pecked me on the lips. A second later, I realized that the gang was staring at us _again_.

"You guys really need girlfriends." Bella rolled her eyes and picked up one of the car magazines that Steve had brought over from the DX waiting room. Which was really only two chairs and a night stand but never mind that. I laughed at Bella's comment.

"I have a girlfriend." Steve scoffed, which made the rest of the boys mumble under their breath. The person I think needed a girlfriend the most was Darry, from what Soda had been telling me about him, he deserved someone to help him with the bills and such, and he deserved to be loved. He worked so damn hard.

"You got any siblings Amanda Panda?" Two-Bit asked, you could tell he was anticipating a reaction. What the hell? What kind of nick name was Amanda Panda? True, you couldn't do much for the name Amanda but still. Amanda Panda? But the more I thought about, the more it seemed like such a thing Two-Bit would do. It was… funny so I guess I'd live with it.

"Well, yeah but she ran off with my mom out of town when I was two and she was like three and a half, I was too young to remember their goodbye note that said where they'd gone and my dad was too _drunk_ to remember. So I haven't seen her since." I sighed. And that was the God awful truth. Soda already knew that, because I told him just about everything to where it wasn't normal. But he always asked and I had no problem answering. He cared.

"Golly that aint fun Amanda Panda." I felt my brows furrow and my nose scrunch up, the way it always did when I was confused. Why did he keep calling me that? Two-Bit that is.

"Is that my new name?" I laughed. He nodded and walked out of the room. Probably to get cake or beer. I half smiled and got up. Sodapop looked up at me like he thought I was leaving. I wasn't planning on leaving right then.

"Hey what are we gonna do tonight?" I asked, we hadn't been out in a week and I wanted every last second before the trial to be sent with him, after all, I only had two more nights with him.

"Um, Mandy, I have something really important planned for tomorrow night, since it's ya know, the last night, and I want to make it real special, so I think I need tonight to plan. You deserve the best and I need all the time I can get. I'll still drop ya off tomorrow and I'll pick ya up there at sun set." He smiled taking my hands. I smiled back, I wanted to be with him tonight, but if he wanted to plan something special for us, I wasn't going to stand in the way. Plus I could work on the song for Bella and Johnny, I guess it might help feeling that need for Sodapop would help me write a song about loss.

"Ok, I'll see you later then." I smiled again he pulled me close and went to whisper in my ear.

"I don't like when there's secrets between us." He sighed I nodded in agreement. Bella offered to drive me home and I accepted. Soda wouldn't let me go at first, but then reluctantly did.

On the car ride home all I could think about was what he might be planning and going my first night without him.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 Sodapop's POV

"Dang!" I groaned, banging my head on the dining room table. Ponyboy slid into the chair next to me and looked over the song I'd been writing for Amanda, or Amanda Panda as Two-Bit called her. She probably found it really weird but she just gave Two a sugary smile. I knew Two-Bit would give her a nick name which made me laugh when I heard it. I missed Amanda already, that sugary smile was better in person. This song was confusing me. I hadn't had anything decent on paper until I thought to myself that she was all I ever wanted in a girl. So I decided the song would describe how she was just that. All I'd ever wanted in a girl. All I'd ever need. I was done with the song, the image of her in my head and her perky giggle and voice playing over and over and the words just started to come. The more I thought about her, the more I imagined her arms wrapped around me and I could almost feel her lips on mine. Her soft, warm lips…golly I missed her.

"Soda, everyone liked it, it's a great song, I mean Two-Bit didn't even make a joke about it. Plus Amanda will love it… she really is good Soda, she's got this personality, never seen anything like it, she cares about everything and everyone, I wasn't very nice earlier and she came in and tried to work things out with me right away, and she even talked to me about my problems, she _cared_ about someone who was an absolute ass to her." Pony admired. And it was true. She cared, her smile wasn't reserved for certain people, she smiled at people who were walking down the street, she smiled at no good hoods who were itchen to cause some trouble, she even helped a lady get her groceries into the car last week without even being asked to, she _wanted_ to. It was just her nature. She did it because she saw it like making other people happy was the way to help her gain happiness, because it satisfied her when others were happy.

"She's my Snow White." I said, smiling at the memory. He just nodded, confused and patted my back. He walked off probably wondering what the hell I'd meant by Snow White.

I read the song over again, I had to say, I didn't know I had it in me. She gave me drive. And then I went through the loop of thinking about her again. I'd snuck her guitar the night before while she was sleeping. I'd been trying for an hour to nail the song. But after a while took a break and relooked the song, which brings me to talking to Pony.

It was two in the morning by the time I nailed the song to my liking. But I didn't care, I'd be sorta tired at work, but this needed to be as perfect as possible. I'd be fine since we both had work at eleven. I went to sleep at night feeling colder than cold. And I had two blankets on top of me. That made me realize, I needed her to feel and be warm. Inside and out. I thought about her until I drifted off to sleep, only to dream about her.

I pulled up to Evie's where Amanda waited for me on the porch. She skipped down the path to get to my car, her long brown hair bouncing as she did. She laid her eyes on me and gave me a beautiful smile. I had to nail this. Seeing her in person made me nervous. Would she _really_ like it? Of course she'd tell me she liked it, she'd never dream of hurting someone's feelings, but would she like it? I frowned as I thought of the possibility of rejection. She wouldn't reject me, it was the thought that she might not love me like I did her that scared me. She seemed to return my feelings, then again so had Sandy. But there was no comparing Amanda to Sandy. Amanda was prettier, she was happier, she was funnier, she seemed to even be smarter even though she was a drop out and Sandy wasn't. Whenever I thought of Amanda and then Sandy it was like my standards dropped. They _did _drop. Amanda opening up the car door popped me out of my thoughts.

"Hey babe." She smiled and kissed my cheek. I smiled back at her and she blushed a bit and looked like she was thinking about something. I nudged her and she knew I knew something was up. While I started diving away.

"I'm just trying to think about what you could possibly give me that you haven't already, Soda you really are the best." She squeezed my hand that laid on the consul and the smile reappeared on her face. I wanted to tell her right then and there that I was in love with her, but I kept my trap shut. This wasn't the way she dreamed of me telling her. My Snow White would get a better happy ending than that. That was, if it would end happy.

We pulled into the Art store parking lot and Amanda looked at me her eyes showed her struggling for words.

"Soda, I think, well I kind of know, that I'm in l…" I knew what she was gonna say and I wasn't going to let her say it, even if it made me come off as a complete dick.

"Wow, your almost late, you should go inside." I blurted. She looked confused, then hurt, she nodded slowly and grabbed her bag off the car floor. She bit her bottom lip and opened the car door.

"Yeah, yeah I should." Amanda murmured. She shut the car door slowly. And ran to the door to the store looking at the ground. I rubbed the heal of my palm against my face. I hadn't meant to hurt her, I was doing this to make us better, to show her how I felt. And that sure wasn't how I felt. I drove the rest of the way to work, wondering how this would affect tonight.

At work Evie had visited Steve and they'd done their lovey dovey crap which didn't help me get her off my mind, not that she ever was off my mind. A couple girls asked me out even though they clearly knew Mandy was my girl. Some usually went out to see Steve too but when Evie was here, _no one_ was back there. That was her guy, and everyone knew they were dead if they were in the garage with him. She loved him an awful lot. And he liked it when she got all defensive. Whenever Amanda had the day off, she'd come to the DX with me and we'd make bets whether Evie and Steve were swallowing face, but really it was a matter of who made the bet first, because whoever did it first, would bet that they _were_ making out, and that meant that the other one was just screwed.

"Hey Sodiebear!" A red head giggled. I rolled my eyes, this was the point when Amanda and I would share a look that showed our stifled laughs at the girl's feeble attempt to get to me. They acted like Mandy wasn't even there a lot of the time.

"How can I help you?" I sighed, realizing I needed to help her whether I liked it or not. She smirked and tousled her hair. I bit back a groan, they all overly flirted. And it was annoying. They somehow thought it was attractive. But oh well, I had Amanda and that was all that mattered.

"A kiss if you don't mind." The girl winked. I groaned lightly this time. I couldn't hold it in anymore. I mean come on I walked around town with Mandy and Steve and Evie all the time. Holding Amanda's hand I might add. I thought girls had more respect for each other than that.

"Sorry, I have a girlfriend, anything else?" I sighed, I could tell this girl wasn't going to back down that easily. She twisted a lock of hair and smirked at me, nope definitely not going to back down.

"And?" She said as if it didn't matter that I was in a relationship. At this point I shot her a glare and would have given her a piece of my mind if Evie wouldn't have walked in. She tapped the girl and her eyes narrowed.

"No class, huh Annabelle?" Evie rolled her eyes and hopped over the counter and stood by me, shaking her head in mock disbelief. The girl, apparently Annabelle stuck her hip out and rolled her eyes. This girl had attitude and not the tuff kind like Bella's.

"Whatever Evie, go back out to your boyfriend." Annabelle snapped. Evie's lips pursed and she ran forward, ready to hop back over the counter. She was gonna knock this chick out. She was a good best friend. I held her back by her elbow.

"Let me at her, you better stay away from my best friend's boyfriend or there will be hell to pay bitch." Evie screamed. Steve walked in to see what was going on. His eye brows arched in surprise. Evie usually didn't act like this. Amanda was a nerve you shouldn't hit. Evie was there through Amanda's hard times and she didn't want her to go through anything ever again. Annabelle just smirked and walked out of the store. Evie huffed.

"And after all that shit she didn't even buy something." She clenched her teeth and walked back outside, only to have Steve follow her out like a little puppy dog.

I got into the car at ten minutes to sunset and gulped hard. This was it. The guitar was in the trunk and I was on my way to pick up Amanda. The only reason I knew when sunset was, was because I'd asked Ponyboy the night before. He really digs sun sets if I haven't said that yet. I drove slowly, which wasn't normal for me, I just needed to brace myself. When I pulled into the parking lot, Amanda was waiting on the bench like she usually did. Someone walked by her, which was her queue to smile but she didn't. She just stared at her feet. I rolled down the car window.

"Hey Mandy!" I yelled happily. She looked up and I smiled the brightest smile I could. All I got was a half-smile in return. She got into the car without a word and folded her hands in her lap. I rested my hand on her shoulder and she looked up at me, the same hurt expression on her face that she'd had when I dropped her off that morning.

"I missed you." I smiled. I thought I saw a smile cross her face, but even if I had, it was gone as soon as it came. She nodded and shut the door, looking back down at her hands.

"Yeah." She mumbled. I wanted to tell her so bad that I had to be an ass earlier only to keep tonight under wraps. But then it wouldn't be under wraps anymore. She didn't say anything and looked out the window longingly. I felt a pain in my stomach. I didn't know I'd hurt her that bad. It killed me. I'd promised her I'd never hurt her. I pulled into the DX parking lot. I'd been planning on doing there since that's where we'd first met.

"I think I ought to go home." She muttered, looking up, but not making eye contact with me. Damn it. She probably didn't even want me over tonight. And one night without her had been hard enough.

"Give me a minute, please." I took her hands out of her lap and squeezed them. She looked up at me and nodded reluctantly. I let go of her hands and gave her a _you won't be sorry_ look. I hopped out of the truck and grabbed the guitar out of the back, I went and knocked on her window. She hopped in her seat a little making me laugh. I motioned for her to come out and she bit her lip, unsure, but opened the door. She leaned against the car and looked at me, she noticed the guitar.

"What in the world, how'd you get a hold of that?!" she laughed with a smile. There. She smiled, that car ride had felt like it hours without her smile to get me through. I needed her to get through life. I was in love with_ her._ I took a deep breath, this was it, right here right now. I exhaled and the words to my song for her started to spill out.

_You know I'd fall apart without you  
I don't know how you do what you do  
'Cause everything that don't make sense about me  
Makes sense when I'm with you_

Like everything that's green, girl, I need you  
But it's more than one and one makes two  
Put aside the math and the logic of it  
You gotta know you're wanted too

'Cause I wanna wrap you up  
Wanna kiss your lips  
I wanna make you feel wanted  
And I wanna call you mine  
Wanna hold your hand forever  
And never let you forget it  
Yeah, I, I wanna make you feel wanted

Anyone can tell you you're pretty, yeah  
And you get that all the time, I know you do  
But your beauty's deeper than the make-up  
And I wanna show you what I see tonight...

When I wrap you up  
When I kiss your lips.  
I wanna make you feel wanted  
And I wanna call you mine  
Wanna hold your hand forever  
And never let you forget it  
'Cause, baby, I, I wanna make you feel wanted

As good as you make me feel  
I wanna make you feel better  
Better than your fairy tales  
Better than your best dreams  
You're more than everything I need  
You're all I ever wanted  
All I ever wanted

And I just wanna wrap you up  
Wanna kiss your lips  
I wanna make you feel wanted  
And I wanna call you mine  
Wanna hold your hand forever  
And never let you forget it  
Yeah, I wanna make you feel wanted  
Baby, I wanna make you feel wanted

You'll always be wanted 

I felt myself sigh with relief when I finished singing. I hadn't looked at her at all because I knew it would make me nervous. I looked up to see her crying. She wiped her eyes quickly when she saw me staring. I got down on both of my knees and stared up at her.

"Amanda Elizabeth." I started. She gulped hard. And murmured under her breath. "I'm, I'm in love with you." I said, my voice shaking. I put the guitar on the ground and stood back up. I was about six feet away from her. She started to cry again. I really wanted to know the reason behind her crying.

"Oh god…." She mumbled. I didn't know what to say, but I opened my mouth to speak but she ran at me and jumped into my arms, wrapping her legs around my waist and wrung her arms around my neck, tears still streaming down her face. I cupped my hands around her thighs so she wouldn't slip off. She looked at me and slowly leaned forward and kissed me as light as she could I leaned forward and kissed her hard. She pulled away and smiled, running her hand through my hair.

"I-I-I'm in love with you too." She stuttered back. Her deep brown eyes meaningful. I kissed her again slipping my tongue into her mouth she kissed me right back. She hopped off of me and smiled up at me. I kissed her soft lips again. I led her to the hood of the truck and hopped onto it, taking Amanda's hand and bringing her onto the hood too, I slid her onto my lap and we stared into the sunset.

"It's beautiful, this view is just breath taking." Amanda whispered in my ear, not taking her eyes off the sun. I pushed her hair out of her face and looked at her beautiful face as it stared off into the distance.

"I have a better view." I smirked. She looked over at me and saw me staring at her. She blushed and kissed my cheek. I looked back to the setting sun., it really was nifty with all them colors. Ponyboy had been right. This feeling of being with her and doing things for her made me feel better about us. And she deserved every minute that she got. I wanted us to be forever. I wasn't gonna propose or nothin, I was just gonna give her something that let her know I was in this for the long hall. That's when it hit me. I knew it was in the car, I hadn't given it much thought since it never really mattered to me. But I thought it would be nice. I mean, a lot of couples did it.

"I got something else for you." I sighed. She looked up at me and shook her head. She flipped over and laid on top of me, still on the hood of the truck.

"I love you." She whispered on my mouth. I smiled and she hopped off of me, doing a back flip off the car landing perfectly on her feet. Damn. Didn't see that coming. I arched an eyebrow and she smirked at me, putting her hands on her hips. She winked flirtatiously and leaned against the passenger car door. I went weak in the knees at the site of her, especially at the moment. The wind was starting to stir and so was her long brown hair. If I stared anymore I might've drooled. She looked back over at me and smiled, making me come out of my trans. I opened the car door and dug through the glove box, my gun would have been in there but we had to give it to the police. There was old car tools and parts, a book, an old key that I had no idea what it went to, and a couple wallet sized pictures, I looked through them like I did daily. One was of my good buddy, the one and only Dallas Winston, a cigarette hung out of his mouth, his eyes cold and narrowed as usual, the other was of my parents, it was black and white and of my father in his soldier uniform. They looked lovingly into each other's eyes, they really had been happy. Another one was of my little buddy Johnny, well you know his story, and the last was the newest picture that Evie had taken. It was of me and my precious Amanda. Her head rested against my shoulder and my arm around her waist as we sat on Evie's porch. Amanda had been smiling and laughing and I was just smiling because I was with her. We looked into the lens and her eyes gleamed. I smiled at the picture and kissed it. This was definitely something I would never lose, just like I'd never lose Amanda. I rummaged through the rest of it until I found what I was looking for. This was it. I was gonna give it to her. Right then. I shut the glove box and slammed the truck door and ran over to Amanda who was still by the car door looked over as I walked over to her. Clutching her gift in my palm.

"Hey babe, this is your present." She turned and smiled at me. I opened my hand and revealed my class ring. Her eyes lit up and she looked and she beamed at me. It was kind of embarrassing, I hadn't and I wasn't, going to graduate, but I still wanted to give it to her, if she even wanted it.

"I know I'm not going to graduate or anything, I just want ya to know I'm in it for the long run, I love you and I see myself with you, so I guess I just want to tell you that I see myself with you, so it doesn't have to be a promise of marriage but, I promise you can trust me always, I'll love you always, I'll comfort you always, I'll be there for you always, and I'll always be faithful, and I know that I understand if you don't want it cause I didn't really earn it all the way…" I started.

"Oh Gosh no sugar, of course I want it, I love you so much babe, I can't even explain the feeling, and for you to do all this is beautiful Soda." She said taking my hand that didn't hold the ring. I brought her close for a minute and then let her go. I slipped the ring onto her finger and she leaned forward and kissed me. She put her forehead against mine.

"I love you Amanda Elizabeth Furtado." I murmured to her in a hushed voice, but not quite a whisper. She grinned and wrapped her arms around my neck. I could feel happiness flooding my face as I stared into her eyes.

"I love you too Sodapop Patrick Curtis." We got back into the car and she sat and admired the ring, I was glad she loved it so much. It was so weird that someone as amazing as her settled for me. It just didn't make much sense.

"Wanna stay the night at my house tonight, since this could be our last night together for a long time, ya know if the trial." She put a finger against my mouth and nodded.

"I'll come, but you just gotta know that you're gonna nail that trial." She smiled. I gave her a passionate kiss and started the truck. The more I thought about it, the more I realized there was a chance that I wouldn't get to be with her for months on end if I was found guilty. I wouldn't get to see her everyday, let alone sleep with her in my arms. We wouldn't be able to touch when she came to visit me in jail, I wouldn't be able to kiss or hug her for months. And I wouldn't be able to carry on a private conversation for MONTHS. I didn't know if I could handle that. Basically being away from the love of my life. I loved her. And she loved me. God couldn't tear us apart now.

"Soda…Soda?" Amanda's head was tilted, looking confused, I shook my head to rid my daze. She smiled but still looked confused. I felt a tingly sensation as she ran a hand across my cheek. I gulped hard, wordless for a minute. I stared as she smiled and the sun set behind her. God…

"Sorry, you're just so beautiful." I said causing her to redden. She kissed me and nodded for us to drive. He took off at the fastest speed I'd ever driven.

We walked into the house and everyone and it was dark, Two-Bit's car was there, so I knew something sketchy was goin on. I took Amanda's hand and we walked inside. Still dark and silent. Whatever was going on was Two-Bit's idea.

"What the hell?" I muttered, squeezing Amanda's hand. It was kind of freaking me out. I couldn't imagine how Amanda was feeling. But to my surprise, when I looked back and she was just looking around, happy as can be. Suddenly the light flicked on and to my surprise Amanda jumped into my arms, frightened.

"Surprise!" The gang yelled. Bella held a cake out that was green and purple that said '_Amanda + Sodapop'_ with a red heart around the words. Darry had Dallas on his shoulders and Two-Bit did jazz hands with Kathy, one of his many blondes, Two had never been one to be steady, by his side, Steve had his arm wrapped around Evie. They all had big smiles on their faces. I guess I had been so stressed about Amanda they'd gotten it past me. I looked at Amanda whose head was tilt back in laughter. She hopped out of my arms and smiled at me.

"Sorry about that." She giggled. I smirked at her and she put her hands on her hips, waiting for what I was going to say. She already knew I was gonna speak.

"Baby your welcome in these arms any time." She smiled and took her two hands, grabbed my face and gave me a passionate kiss, we started to kiss in sync until someone cleared their throat, of course it was Two-Bit, and everyone knew he had a wise crack up his sleeve, Amanda probably even knew.

"This is a love party, not a _love_ party." He smirked. I rolled my eyes and Amanda turned tomato red as everyone laughed. I pulled her into my chest and she just laughed with everyone else. Kathy pranced over to us and stuck her hand in Amanda's face. Amanda took it mannerly and shook it lightly before rewrapping her hand around my middle. Kathy grabbed her hand that wasn't wrapped around me.

"Hi, I'm Kathy, I'm Two-Bit's…. person, come on all us girls should have girl talk. She said, tugging on Amanda, I could tell Amanda didn't like her. Her lips weren't exactly pursed but they seemed like they wanted to frown, but Amanda wasn't one to frown on a whim, she only frowned when there was a serious reason to frown. She looked at me helplessly but went with Kathy. Evie went reluctantly and Bella, not surprisingly, turned it down, she hated Kathy, and oddly Two-Bit wasn't so fond of her either. They all walked into mine and Pony's bedroom and shut the door.

"I wonder what they're gonna talk about." Steve remarked, his mouth full of the now sliced cake. I kind of wondered that too, what _did_ girls talk about? I mean, they probably talked about the things that didn't make sense to us about them. Like, why the hell they complain so much, or maybe they just thought up new things to complain about together. But Amanda wasn't much of a complainer, she didn't even complain when I knew she wanted to. She just wasn't like that. She didn't really do anything negative, she was a happy person, and that was saying something considering the life she'd had before us.

"You guys of course!" Bella smirked. That was a possibility too. I mean, I talked about Amanda to the guys all the time and Steve did the same for Evie. Who would talk about someone while the person was right there? That didn't make much sense either. We all snickered at Bella's comment and a silence hovered over the room. Making my curiosity about the girls grow inside me.

"YOU ARE SUCH A BITCH I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU!" Evie hollered from the room. Everyone's eyes turned toward the room. Amanda ran out of the house in tears, and Evie shot a smirking Kathy the biggest glare I'd ever seen. Yep, Kathy had done something to hurt Amanda and Evie was pissed. WAIT! Kathy had hurt Amanda?! Oh well, I didn't have time to deal with Kathy, I needed to help Amanda. I ran after Evie, who was running after Amanda. It was dark now, and they were running down the street, I quickened my pace, I wasn't the fastest runner but I had to see what happened. Evie looked back to see me running after them. She jumped out of the way so I could talk to Amanda alone. I caught up to her and wrung my hand around her waist from behind. She stopped running and turned around, starting to sob into my chest. I smoothed her hair a couple times and then made her look up at me.

"What happened babe?" I asked, winded. She swallowed and steadied her breath. She sat on a set of bricks that someone had turned into a bench type of thing. After wiping her tears, she looked up at me and her eyes stung with tears again. I rubbed her back and she started to tell me what had happened.

"K-Kathy, she-she said th-that if I-I didn't d-do it with you, y-you'd find someone else t-to do it with and th-that you-you only s-said you loved me cause th-thought then I-I'd sleep with you. And you would never really l-love me." She choked out. Her face buried in her hands. I brought her back into my chest. How could Kathy say that to her? She didn't know anything about us. No wonder Evie had been so upset. And poor Amanda. Too naive to think anyone would lie to get a rise out of someone else.

"You, can't believe that, can you baby?" I cooed as I kissed her forehead. What would this mean? Would this make her uncomfortable being with me now? Would she not want me to come through the window and be with her every night anymore? It really did scare me. Had Kathy ruined things? Had Kathy ruined Amanda and me?

"I d-didn't, but she-she kept saying it and it was making me scared about us. I-I love you Sodapop, but I aint ready for that yet. And I th-thought you could accept that, but K-Kathy said no guy could take no for an answer." She said, getting the chills. I rubbed my hands her arms up and down to keep her warm since I didn't have my jacket to give her.

"I take no princess. And if you're not ready, that's ok. You don't have to be Mandy. I-I'll wait, no matter how long it takes. I love you Amanda. You're beauty's deeper than the make-up and I wanna hold your hand forever" I sighed, referring to lines from my song to her. She looked up and gave me a weak smile and a small kiss on the lips. I hopped off the bricks and so did she. Her eyes were still glassy and they glinted in the moonlight and even when she was sad, she was beautiful right now. She was always beautiful.

We walked back into the house to find Kathy gone and a room full of silent people. They all looked up when they heard the door slam. Amanda speed walked over to the couch and sat down, staring at her feet. She was ashamed.

"I'm sorry about that." She croaked a bit. Everyone looked at each other, confused on why she should be ashamed. Two-Bit, not to my surprise, spoke first. But at this time, it made most sense for him to talk first, considering it was his date's fault.

"Don't be Panda." He said seriously. Amanda nodded and looked back down at her feet. After Bella and Evie asked her to help them clean up, she seemed to be happy again. Amanda called to ask if she and Evie could stay the night, and Mrs. Montgomery reluctantly agreed to Mr. Montgomery's annoyance. Amanda wore one of my T shirts to bed while Pony bunked with Darry. Dallas and Bella took their usual spot in their room in the basement, Evie and Steve took the couch and Two-Bit took the chair. Amanda and I slept in mine and Pony's bed. I kept her extra close tonight knowing it could be our last night together before our relationship could possibly be put on hold for up to eight months.

"I love you." She whispered into my chest, sometime that night.

"I love you too." I whispered back. Running my fingers through her long brown hair. I loved her, and trial or not she was the thing that would most effect my life.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 Amanda's POV

Soda's arms were wrapped around me the morning of the trial. He was still sleeping, so I decided to take the moment to stare at him. He seemed to even smile in his sleep. His eyes were shut lightly and my eyes landed on his lips. So soft and kissable. I was so mesmerized by them, I leaned forward and kissed them lightly. His eyes shot open and I leaned back, bit my lip and giggled. He looked at me and gave me a crazy smirk. Uh-oh he was gonna do something.

"You asked for it…" he trailed off mysteriously. I smiled and he crawled on top of me and gave me countless neck kisses. Then it honestly started to hurt at one point for about thirty seconds. I moaned and then he hopped off of the bed.

"Gotta get dressed the police will be here any minute to pick me up." He said, out of breath. I nodded and got off the bed and stretched. He walked over and kissed me passionately on the lips before I told him I'd go get dressed in the bathroom. I walked out of the room and looked around.

"Hey Mandy! Wanna borrow some clothes for the trial? I have something that would look so cute in! But tuff at the same time! Soda will love it!" Bella smiled leading me down to the _really _run down basement, well Bella's room.

"Ok here it is." She smiled and pulled out a dark purple mini skirt and an all lacy long sleeved black shirt. She winked at me. As if telling me that was a way to get him to look at me. Please, not trying to be cocky or anything, but he checked me out even when I was in sweats. I wasn't really much to check out.

"Saucy." She giggled like a fourth grader. It was HOT. I really wondered what Soda would think or say. Would he think I was slutty? Cute? Hot? I really wanted him to think I was hot. Did he? If checking me out had anything to do with it, he _loved_ me. I popped back into reality to see Evie running down the stairs. I started to take off my Soda's big shirt and his sweats.

"Hey girlies!" Evie smiled as I slipped into Bella's black tank top for under the lacy top, then the lacy top and the skirt. Evie looked me up and down and bit her lip seductively. She seriously had been getting after me for being a tease to Soda. He always started it. Kissing my neck then I'd shove him off after a while, he knew the situation, but he pushed it until he knew he'd have to stop.

"Oh, Soda _is _a lucky boy! Mandy, you are HOT! You got straight girls checking you out woman! Dang girl. You're pretty good!" I blushed and stuck my hip out sassily. They laughed and continued to compliment me. Even straight girls checked me out. Maybe I was pretty. I mean my nose was a pretty good shape and my eyes were a pretty good distance apart, and my hair was ok. I ran Bella's brush through my hair a couple times and waited for Evie to change into some of Bella's beautiful clothes too. Now it was showing through that she was a Soc at one point, she had all the good brand clothes, but all the times I'd met her she'd worn Holey jeans and old T shirts. I walked back up the stairs and Soda was waiting for me eagerly at the door. When he saw me his eyes bulged and he not so surprisingly looked me up and down slowly, his eyes scanning my body and they landed on… well, if you can't figure it out, you're probably not old enough to know. I snapped in front of his zoned out eyes, making him look me in the eye.

"My face is up here." I said pointing my index finger towards my face. He looked guiltily at his feet, then looked back up and his eyes reminded me of a puppy's after chewing his master's shoes. I sighed and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Keep looking and I'll never let you touch." I winked. He reddened and gave me a huge kiss on the lips. Soda took my hand and led me to the kitchen to get something to eat. We walked in and for some reason they all stopped what they were doing and stared at me. It got uncomfortable to the point where I crossed my arms over my chest.

"Alright that's enough. Go back to your business." Soda scoffed protectively. I rolled my eyes at his behavior. He seemed kind of… jealous, but oh well. It was better than him treating me like material. I hated guys like that. A lot of hoods treated their girls like nothing, just toys. And I couldn't stand that. It annoyed the shit out of me. Soda treated me like a queen, like no one else mattered but me, I always came first in our relationship no matter how hard I tried to get him to come first, it was always me. But that was the way he showed me that he loved me, he put me on this pedestal and loved me to death. It sometimes made me feel guilty for not giving him what I knew he wanted, but I wasn't ready. And he definitely wouldn't want me to do something that I wasn't ready for. No matter how bad he wanted it. But then I thought, would I ever be ready? It was kind of hard to say, I loved him A LOT, but it just didn't seem right. He was ready, he'd told me that when I'd asked for honesty the night before. But I couldn't see it happening yet, I knew that it would happen eventually, because I wanted to have kids. And I also knew that my I'd lose my virginity to him. But I just didn't know when. I wanted it to be special, and I needed to be braced. Kathy's words had bounced around in my mind. 'He won't wait around forever, and if you don't give it to him someone else will' she'd hissed. And I couldn't help but take it to heart. I mean, Soda was the sweetest guy I'd ever met, but did that make him any less of a teenage boy? No. and what's his emotionally unstable girlfriend supposed to do about that? That's what I wanted to know, that would have been quite helpful. I didn't want to disappoint him or leave him hanging but I guess I had to. He'd said it was ok that he had to wait. And that answer was good enough for me. For now.

"Hey babe, want pancakes?" he asked. I nodded but started to rub the side of my neck. It kind of hurt, like a bruise. I gave him the signal to wait a minute and walked down the hall to the bathroom to check out what was wrong with my neck. Bella was cleaning the toilet when I walked in. She looked up and smiled at me. I smiled back and looked in the bathroom mirror. It was a fat purpley pinkish bruise. How the hell had that gotten there? I saw my nose scrunch up in the bathroom mirror when Bella popped into the reflection.

"Oh looks like someone got a love bite!" Bella giggled. I love bite? First of all what was a love bite? And secondly, if it was a_ love_ bite, then why did it hurt so much? That made no sense. I gave Bella a confused look and she just laughed and put a hand on my shoulder.

"Darling, Soda gave you a hicky." She sighed as if I should have known that. Ok, maybe my life was sheltered, but what the hell was a hicky? I touched the bruise again and examined it. Then I remembered that morning, when Soda had sucked on my skin and made it hurt for a little bit. So that's what a hicky was. I mean, why did he want to give me a bruise? It made no sense to me, but Bella seemed to think it was perfectly normal, I guessed it was ok. I bit my bottom lip, still confused and walked out of the bathroom without another word. I couldn't stop touching it now with an awkward look on my face. Soda saw and gave me a guilty look as he walked over to me.

"I'm sorry about that, I just got caught up in the moment." He sputtered. I nodded trying to seem understanding. But I really didn't do a good job because he still looked guilty. I sighed and moved closer to him. He put his arm around my waist in return and smiled. I sighed heavily starting to think about the trial. It was making me nervous, but I wasn't about to make Sodapop more of a wreck than he probably already was. I gulped and he started to massage my shoulders. He had the magic touch. I can't tell you how good it felt. He kissed my neck slowly.

"Soda we're in front of people." I moaned silently. He laughed quietly and pulled away. After a few of Two-Bit's typical wise cracks there was a knock at the door. I knew it was the police officer and my stomach churned it was scaring me as the actual trial was in an hour! I grabbed a hold of Soda and we walked toward the door. I went hid behind Soda so the officer couldn't see me.

"Hello Sodapop Curtis? We're here to pick you up." The officer was young, his hair slicked back. He had black hair and green eyes. Soda was definitely the cuter of the two. Soda smiled and nodded. I knew he was gonna ask now about me riding with them in the police car to the trial with them. I didn't really know what he would say, but it was worth a shot.

"Officer, do you think my girl could ride with us?" Sodapop asked smoothly. I crossed my fingers that he would say yes. Was it some kind of rule that only the defendant could go with the officers? Maybe, maybe not.

"We don't normally allow…." I stepped from behind Soda and the officer looked me up and down. "I guess that'd be ok." He stuttered. Still staring at me. I rolled my eyes and all three of us started to walk toward the car. Gripping Soda like it was our last time together this year. What could be our last day together.

"Defendant not guilty." The judge's words rang in my head. Tears streamed down my face as I held Sodapop's hand. She continued to say that as long as he took a week off at the DX and helped out at the Police station as community service, there would be no jail time. He was also reset in Darry's custody. I was so happy I couldn't help but give him a passionate kiss, starting to kiss in sync, tongue and all, we didn't stop till Two-Bit butted in.

"Not in the court room." Two-Bit chuckled. We pulled away and stared into each other's eyes, yep couldn't have spent eight months without my baby. He grabbed me by my waist and threw me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. I screeched.

"I'm in a skirt!" I giggled. He squeezed my thigh lightly and then tickled it. He walked me out of the room like that with the judge still in her seat, staring at us. She looked serious but then gave me a playful sympathetic look. I beat on his back lightly chanting 'put me down.' When we reached Two-Bit's car he put me down. I rolled my eyes and shoved him, annoyed. I could feel that the short skirt had ridden up. I yanked it down and huffed. The things he did.

"Oh come on baby, you can't stay mad at me." He said wrapping his arms around my waist. I bit the inside of my cheek hard, still annoyed. He looked down at me and I looked up at him, he was right I couldn't stay mad at him. I sighed as he gave me a kiss. He picked me up and smiled.

"I love you Amanda." He smiled. When he told me he loved me, it made my heart skip a beat. I loved him too, a lot. Maybe more than he loved me. But probably not. I bit my lip and he set me down. I wrung my hands around his neck and laid on his chest.

"I love you too." I sighed and I did, I really did.

I held Sodapop's hand under the dinner table as we ate dinner at the Montgomery's, Evie did the same with Steve. The boys were silent, not wanting to make a fool out of themselves. Steve couldn't afford to get another bad thing added to Jim's mental naughty list.

"I've got a surprise for y'all." Uncle Jim said gruffly. I smiled and squeezed Soda's hand and wondered what it could be. Maybe he'd let us take the Porsche out for a while, or maybe have a party, or maybe he'd cut Soda's community hours. You never knew.

"I won you guys basketball tickets, I bet four tickets that Soda wouldn't end up guilty with another officer." He chuckled and set the tickets on the on the table, then nodding for us to leave. Wait… _now?_ Everyone thanked Jim and walked out the door with their purses and wallets. Soda opened the passenger door for me, letting me know we got the front seats and he'd be driving. Steve hopped in with Evie and they almost immediately started making out. I rolled my eyes and tapped Soda.

"You know if you would have made Steve drive, that could have been us." I smirked at him. He arched his eyebrows in surprise and then gave me a semi dirty smirk. He ran his finger over my hicky and I giggled. He turned back to the road but winked at me before turning all the way back around. My stomach exploded like a fan girl getting a wink from their heart throb.

"Good point Mandy, you're driving home Steve." He smiled, still looking at the road. Steve couldn't pull away. He was putty in Evie's hands. Her lips touched his and that was it, she had full control over him. He stuck one limp thumb in the air and put his hand right back on her ass. I shook my head in disbelief. Evie didn't care that we we're in the car and seemed to care even less. Then I started to think about basketball, I knew nothing about the sport. Oh well, they probably didn't know crap either.

"I brought you a drink." Soda smiled. I kissed him in the cheek as he sat down. Damn it, there it was again, this one basketball player on the Oklahoma team kept looking at me and it was honestly getting kind creepy. But then he smiled, I waved and he nodded for some reason and went after the ball. Soda and I had shared a couple kisses during the game but no joke, Steve and Evie never stopped swallowing face, I bet it was because Jim never gave them time alone.

The game ended and I somehow lost Soda and them. I searched around frantically the crowd for them but they were nowhere to be seen. Then someone tapped on my shoulder, I whirled around to see the basketball player that kept staring at me. He flipped his hair and smiled. I smiled and turned back around to find them, but he spun me around again.

"I'm Derek." He stuck his hand out for me to shake I shook it firmly and awkwardly stood there for a minute.

"The team's going out for drinks if you wanna come, like as my date maybe." He gave me a flirty grin that made me want to puke. I knew he'd seen me holding hands with Soda earlier in the game. I 0started to turn a bit. No Derek, HELL no. I wanted to say, but I wanted to be more polite than that.

"Sorry, I was just looking for my…. Soda!" I smiled. He didn't smile back and walked straight up to Derek. I'd never actually seen Soda mad before. And he was more so fuming than anything. Why was he so mad at Derek? That ought to make a great conversation on the way home, Jesus Christ.

"What you doing with my girl, ass wipe?" Soda snapped. I tried to calm him down and rested my hand on his shoulder, but he just shrugged it off. They shot insults back and forth for five minutes, me telling Soda to calm down and come with me the whole time but he completely ignored me. That for one pissed me off. Then out of nowhere, Soda threw a punch. I gasped and yanked Soda through the crowd so Derek couldn't continue the fight, when we made it outside I gulped hard and started to yell at him.

"What the hell were you thinking Sodapop Patrick Curtis?! I yelled for you to stop so many times I can't even tell you. And I know you heard me!" I snapped. He shot me a glare. What the hell had gotten into him?! He shook his head crazily and stomped his foot.

"Did you see him?! He was totally flirting with you!" he bellowed close to my face. I cowered in fear. I'd never actually been physically scared of Soda, but I sure was then. My eyes stung with tears and I groaned, I knew what I had to do if he didn't stop soon and it was going to kill me.

"Like none of the girls at the DX flirt with you?! Please! You can't control if they like you and I can't control if he likes me. I may not have your movie star good looks, but is it that hard to believe someone might find me cute and Soda…" I started shaking my head. I made a deal with myself, if the next thing that came out if his mouth was immature, then I'd have to it. He glared at me and fired back.

"No it's not Amanda! That's why I got so mad over what he did? You are my girlfriend, _mine_. And so if a guy flirts with you I'm not gonna be rational!" He screamed. Tears started to stream down my face, I had to do it now, that was the deal. I started to let out tiny sobs.

"Y-You know what then Sodapop? If you're really that immature, then I think we need to take a break from this, we're done until you grow up!" I said, my voice quivering as I cried. His face dropped and tears rimmed his eyes too. He shook his head in disbelief.

"Are you breaking up with me Amanda?" he asked. A tear fell silently down his cheek. No. I didn't want to break up with him! But I also didn't think it would have been good for our relationship to be with him right now either. So I shook my head.

"We're on a break though." I sighed, the tears coming faster now. I loved Soda so much. Could I even handle a break myself, even if it was my idea? He gulped hard and more tears came for him too.

"I thought you loved me?!" He cried. I bit my lip. I did, I had to tell him that I did so he didn't think I lied when he'd written me the song.

"I do Soda. I love you so much I can't even see straight sometimes. Please don't take it like that. This is because I love you. I'll want you back, this is for the best." I kissed his cheek and ran to Evie and Steve who stood shocked about ten feet away.

"There's a pay phone over there let's see if you're mom will pick me up." I sniffled, wiping salty tears off my chin. She brought me in for a warm hug like she usually did when I was miserable, thing is, ever since I had known Soda, I hadn't been miserable.

"I'll ride with you sis." She said rubbing my back. She gave Steve a huge kiss goodnight and linked arms with me, walking over to the pay phone. Mrs. Montgomery answered on the second ring.

"Hey mama come and get us will ya? Something happened with Soda and Amanda, she can tell you in the car if she wants to just please come get us." She said in a hushed tone. I looked across the parking lot and saw Soda still letting a couple tears slip down his cheeks like I'd been doing too. Steve nudged him and started telling him brotherly things like 'it'll be ok buddy' and 'she said she's comin back for ya.' And I was. Sooner rather than later because I was weak. Mrs. Montgomery gave me a sympathetic look and nodded for us to hop in. We both got in the back and Evie squeezed my hand,

"What happened baby girl?" Sally asked looking at me through the review mirror. That was it. I got that peppery feeling in my nose I always got before a big sob. I burst into tears and Evie squeezed my hand tightly.

"W-we're on a b-break." I hiccuped. Sally rested her hand on my knee lightly. I'd never thought that ending it for a bit would hurt this bad, and there was no way it got better.

"Oh honey can I tell you something that will effect your choice on whether to get back with him or not?" She asked me. I gulped hard. Sally was older which meant all the wiser, what if she thought we were better off not together? I nodded slowly.

"Honey, the truth is everybody will hurt you, you just gotta choose the people that are worth suffering for. The flaws in someone may be the thing hurting you, but it's up to you." She said. And that was so true.

We got home and I cried and cried non stop with my head in Evie's lap. She kept telling me that Soda would forgive me, but I couldn't be so sure. I sobbed all night thinking about Soda. What If he didn't forgive me? What if we were over...


End file.
